UNESCO has decided to grant provisional enhanced protection to 39 cultural heritage sites in Lebanon. The decision was made at an emergency meeting due to the acute threat these sites face from the ongoing conflict in the region. The protection includes several mosques in Tripoli, the national library in Beirut, and the historic center of Saida.
Previously, sites such as the World Heritage sites Baalbek and Tyre had already received provisional protection. The measure increases international attention and imposes stricter obligations on conflict parties to avoid damage.