Missile strikes have rocked the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek and its outskirts today, hours after Israel issued an evacuation call for the area. Baalbek mayor Mustafa al-Shall confirmed strikes hit the city and its surroundings, while state media said "enemy warplanes launched a series of strikes on the Asira area of the city of Baalbek" and in a nearby town. Earlier in the day, Baalbek residents rushed out of their homes after Israeli forces ordered Lebanon's biggest eastern city - and its outskirts - to be evacuated for the first time since Israeli aggressions on Lebanon escalated in late September. The order included a map - posted on social media - of the entire city of Baalbek and its outskirts — a historically significant area home to a large Shia Muslim community plus smaller communities of Sunnis and Christians. Israeli forces threatened to attack the historic city and its surrounding towns and villages, claiming it was targeting Hezbollah sites. Baalbek, a designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to some of the world’s most well-preserved Roman temples. These ancient ruins are within Israel's designated forced evacuation areas.
