Shafaq News- Beirut

Israel is attempting to erase Lebanon's history and cultural identity through its expanding military campaign, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Saturday, with recent strikes increasingly targeting heritage sites.

In a televised address from the Grand Serail after meeting President Joseph Aoun to discuss the "dangerous and unprecedented escalation," Salam stated that Israel's operations had expanded beyond military targets to also include homes, schools, hospitals, places of worship, production facilities, and archaeological landmarks.

"The houses are being leveled to the ground, entire neighborhoods are being erased, and even cemeteries have not been spared."

UNESCO has granted enhanced protection status to dozens of Lebanese cultural properties threatened by the conflict, including the World Heritage sites of Tyre and Baalbek, after strikes were recorded near both locations. The designation provides the highest level of immunity available under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in Armed Conflict.

Among the sites drawing particular concern are the ancient city of Tyre, one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities; Baalbek, home to one of the world's largest and best-preserved Roman temple complexes; and Beaufort Castle (Al-Shqif Castle) in southern Lebanon. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has pledged that the organization would "spare no effort" to help protect Lebanon's cultural landmarks.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israeli forces had seized strategic positions in southern Lebanon and crossed the Litani River. At its closest point, the river lies only a few kilometers from the Israeli border and has long served as a key reference line in ceasefire arrangements and UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

Israeli media also reported that the military had recommended intensifying airstrikes and ground operations in Lebanon amid concerns that Israel could face growing pressure to accept a ceasefire if the United States approves the proposed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran.

Following those developments, Lebanon is now intensifying political and diplomatic efforts to secure a rapid, effective, and lasting ceasefire, Salam said, arguing that negotiations remain the least costly option despite uncertainty over their outcome. The government's objectives remain a ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal, the release of prisoners, reconstruction, and the safe return of displaced residents.