Israeli army strikes Lebanon's historic city of Baalbek after issuing new eviction orders

Military's warning of incoming air strikes is third issued for the area since Wednesday

Smoke rises over ancient Roman ruins in Lebanon's Baalbek city following an Israeli air strike on October 31. AFP

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Several air strikes hit Baalbek in eastern Lebanon on Sunday, after the Israeli military issued eviction orders for parts of the historical city and a neighbouring village. The Israeli strikes in Baalbek and Douris destroyed or damaged many buildings, including a restaurant located just metres from the Baalbek Government Hospital, Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Lebanon's health ministry said the hospital, “which is currently crowded with patients and wounded individuals”, was also damaged in the attack, which it condemned as a breach of international and humanitarian laws. Abbas Shoker, the director of Baalbek Governmental Hospital said the damage was minor. “We expect to replace the shattered glass within 24 hours, and our operations will not be disrupted. We are fully prepared,” he said.

The warning to residents of Baalbek and Douris was the third issued for the area by Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee since Wednesday, but the first to mention specific buildings. It identified four structures in Baalbek, including one near the city's main hospital and Dar Baalbek school, and one building in Douris.

Israel has dramatically escalated its air strikes on Baalbek and other parts of Lebanon's Bekaa Valley this week, killing more than 150 people. On Wednesday, it issued a citywide bombing alert for Baalbek – a Unesco World Heritage Site renowned for its 3,000-year-old Roman temples, among the best-preserved in the world – and surrounding areas. It was the first time the Israeli military has issued a displacement order for an entire city since it escalated its attacks on Lebanon in late September.

But the strikes in the Bekaa Valley have also hit outside the designated zones. An attack on Bednayel, an area near Baalbek not covered by the warnings, killed eight people including two children on Wednesday.

The Israeli army has issued eviction orders for dozens of villages in southern Lebanon, urging residents to leave immediately. According to the UN, these warnings covered a quarter of Lebanon’s territory – an assessment made before the Baalbek bombing notices were issued. Since then, tens of thousands of people have fled the area. Human rights group Amnesty International has raised concerns over these “evacuation orders” and potential mass forced displacements.

Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah, the Lebanese political and armed group which holds sway over parts of the Bekaa Valley. Intensified attacks in the area and neighbouring Syria suggest an effort to sever the group's supply route for weapons. However, civilians are bearing the brunt of the attacks. Bashir Khodor, the governor of Baalbek-Hermel, said that more than two thirds of the 67 people killed in attacks on the governorate on October 28 were women and children.

The National visited Baalbek district three times this week, speaking with several civilian victims, including children in hospitals, affected by the rising violence.