### Residents Flee to Baalbek Citadel Amid Escalating Israeli Airstrikes

In Baalbek, an ancient city in eastern Lebanon, residents have sought refuge in the 2,000-year-old Roman temples as Israeli attacks intensify. Governor Bachir Khodr has warned that even these historic sites are no longer safe. "Some citizens went to the Baalbek citadel," he told NPR, referring to the temples of Jupiter and Bacchus located there. "But their lives are also at risk, so I urged them to leave the entire city of Baalbek for their safety."

The Israeli military released a map on social media indicating plans to bomb the entire city and surrounding villages. This warning has led tens of thousands of residents to flee Baalbek. On Wednesday, Israeli airstrikes in Baalbek killed 19 people, including eight women, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Earlier in the week, 60 people, including children, were killed in attacks in the surrounding Bekaa Valley.

The Bekaa Valley, nestled between mountain ranges east of Beirut, is home to diverse communities of Shia and Sunni Muslims, Christians, and Druze, and serves as a stronghold for Hezbollah. The area has seen increasing conflict since the Gaza war erupted a year ago. Last month, Israel escalated its offensive, sending ground forces into southern Lebanon, expanding airstrikes to northern Lebanon and central Beirut, and assassinating Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

On Wednesday, Israel targeted Hezbollah command and control centers and fuel depots in the Bekaa Valley. Explosions and huge plumes of black smoke were captured by Lebanese television networks after airstrikes hit diesel tanks in the town of Douris. Despite the danger, many residents have stayed due to having no alternatives. In late September, hospitals in the Bekaa were filled with civilian casualties from the airstrikes.

Governor Khodr mentioned that the government inspected the ancient site to ensure no fighters or weapons were stored there and posted extra guards to prevent looting. Israeli airstrikes earlier this week damaged part of a Roman stone wall at the site. Jean Fakhry, the head of municipalities in Deir al-Ahmar, noted a significant displacement movement, with over 20,000 newly displaced people arriving in Deir al-Ahmar on Wednesday. Emergency services distributed blankets, food, and water, but many displaced people are still sleeping in vehicles.

Baalbek has a rich history, being inhabited for nearly 11,000 years, and its Roman temples and Shia shrines are testament to its significance over millennia. The name Baalbek originates from the storm god Baal, worshiped 3,000 years ago before the rise of Christianity and later Islam in the region. Advisor to Lebanon's culture minister, Wassim el Naghi, indicated that the recent bombardments, though half a mile from the archaeological site, could have effects similar to those of an earthquake on the ancient structures. "We cannot assess yet, but such heavy bombardment usually has an impact on the above-ground and underground archaeological remains," he told NPR.