Beaufort Castle, a 900-year-old Crusader fortress in Lebanon, was reportedly struck directly by Israeli airstrikes on May 27, according to footage posted on social media and local reports. The news follows intense Israeli strikes on the ancient city of Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Lebanon that is home to some of the region’s most significant Phoenician and Roman ruins, as well as a large civilian population.
As reported by the Associated Press, the Israeli military released footage appearing to show troops at Beaufort Castle after advancing for several days through villages surrounding Nabatiyeh. The capture of Beaufort Castle—a strategic outlook—is a major development in Israel’s ground invasion of Lebanon, marking the deepest encroachment into Lebanese territory since 2000, and a violation of the official ceasefire that has been in place since April 17.
World heritage sites and civilians alike have emerged as casualties of the military escalation. Beaufort Castle, or Qalaat al-Shaqif, is one of five fortresses in Lebanon’s Mount Amel region that have been included on UNESCO’s Tentative List for World Heritage status. Originally constructed in 1137 by the Kingdom of Jerusalem during the Crusader period, the fortress was later expanded and modified by the Ayyubids and Mamluks, whose architectural interventions incorporated elements distinctive to their respective cultural traditions. The structure “ stands as one of the best-preserved examples of medieval castles in the Near East,” according to UNESCO, which notes that the cultural site was granted enhanced protections from armed conflict in 2024.
ARTnews has contacted UNESCO for comment.
Smoke rising from the site of an Israeli air strike near the ancient city of Tyre in southern Lebanon.
AFP via Getty Images
Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, is also afforded legal protection against wartime destruction. Located on Lebanon’s southern coast, the ancient city occupies a pivotal place in Mediterranean history. Founded by the Phoenicians, it was renowned for the production of Tyrian purple dye and flourished as a major maritime and commercial center across multiple civilizations. The site contains significant archaeological remains, including Roman baths, the vestiges of a residential quarter, and an extensive necropolis.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the military assault in a televised speech on Saturday, accusing Israel of attempting to “uproot Lebanon’s memory and erase its history.”
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister, Youssef Rajji, said in a statement he was following the developments with “deep pain and profound concern.” Amid a reported diplomatic effort to halt the bombardment of Tyre, he described the city’s archaeological and cultural heritage as belonging to the “shared human conscience.”
