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Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera Staff

What is Lebanon’s ancient city of Baalbek and why is Israel targeting it?

Lebanon Baalbek Israel Hezbollah UNESCO
People inspect the destruction at the site of an overnight Israeli air attack on the Gouraud Barracks neighbourhood of Lebanon's eastern city of Baalbek, in the vicinity of the ancient Roman ruins of Heliopolis on October 29, 2024 [Nidal Solh/AFP]

Israel this week issued a citywide evacuation order for the first time since it stepped up its attacks on Lebanon in late September.

Tens of thousands of people have fled Baalbek, the largest city in eastern Lebanon, following Israeli forced displacement calls for the city and its surrounding villages.

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