An Israeli airstrike on Wednesday destroyed an ancient building near the historic Baalbek Citadel in eastern Lebanon.

Baalbek-Hermel Governor Bashir Khodr said that an Israeli raid led to the destruction of the historic Manshiyeh building.

He added, "This building is located in a neighborhood classified as an archaeological site and dates back to the Ottoman era."

In turn, an official in the Lebanese Ministry of Culture (who preferred to remain anonymous) told Anadolu Agency, "One of the Israeli raids led to the destruction of the historic Al-Manshiya building, according to the ministry's classifications, which dates back to the Ottoman era (in the Levant 1516-1918) and is located adjacent to the site of the historic Baalbek Citadel."

According to Khader, this raid is considered the closest to Baalbek Castle, and the castle will be inspected later to determine whether any damage occurred inside it.

In recent weeks, Israeli air strikes have targeted Baalbek, the city nicknamed the "City of the Sun", known for its archaeological sites, many of which date back to the Roman era.