Christian Leaders Urge International Action to Protect Tyre's Historic Quarter Amid Israeli Evacuation Warning

Christian religious leaders in Tyre called on the international community and Lebanese officials to act swiftly to protect the city's historic Christian quarter after Israel issued an evacuation warning for the area. The warning followed an Israeli airstrike in a nearby neighborhood that killed eight people and wounded dozens, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.

The statement was issued jointly by George Iskandar, metropolitan archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Elias Kfoury, Greek Orthodox metropolitan of Tyre, Sidon and Dependencies, and Charbel Abdullah, Maronite archeparch of Tyre. They urged “immediate and serious action to spare the old quarter of Tyre from destruction and human tragedies.”

Residents fled the coastal district, filling cars with mattresses, luggage and furniture, while civil-defense teams helped evacuate older citizens. One driver, Ali Bahar, said his family left with “nothing to go to… we will end up in the streets.”

The clergy emphasized that the old city is “the historical and human heart of Tyre,” housing thousands of civilians and containing cultural and religious heritage dating back centuries. They warned that any targeting would cause “a humanitarian and national catastrophe with irreversible consequences.”

Kfoury added that the conflict extends beyond Hezbollah, stating, “The war is against all of Lebanon, not just one particular group within Lebanon.” He described the fighting as a “destructive war.”

Israel’s Arabic-language military spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, posted that Hezbollah members were reportedly operating in the Christian district and that any building used for “terrorist activities” could be targeted. The Lebanese army has deployed forces to the area in response to the warning.

The broader Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which began in early March, has resulted in roughly 3,500 deaths and displaced more than 1.2 million people.