UNESCO 'enhanced protection' for 34 Lebanon heritage sites

Paris: Dozens of heritage sites in Lebanon were granted provisional enhanced protection by UNESCO on Monday, offering a higher level of legal shield...

Paris: Dozens of heritage sites in Lebanon were granted "provisional enhanced protection" by UNESCO on Monday, offering a higher level of legal shielding as fighting continues between Israel and Hezbollah militants.

The 34 cultural properties affected "now benefit from the highest level of immunity against attack and use for military purposes", the United Nations cultural body said in a statement.

Several Israeli strikes in recent weeks on Baalbek in the east and Tyre in the south hit close to ancient Roman ruins designated as World Heritage sites.

UNESCO said the decision "helps send a signal to the entire international community of the urgent need to protect these sites".

"Non-compliance with these clauses would constitute 'serious violations' of the 1954 Hague Convention and... potential grounds for prosecution," it added.