Divers Return to Tyre's Sunken Ruins as Lebanon's Ancient City Recovers

Off the coast of Tyre in southern Lebanon, divers glide past stone walls, ancient structures and a submerged road — traces of a city that once stood above the Mediterranean. With a fragile ceasefire in place after the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, visitors are gradually returning to the coastal city, and diving operators report growing interest in its underwater ruins, though numbers remain below prewar levels.

"The diving season is not like it used to be before, but the number of people coming to dive to see the ruins is increasing day by day," said Yousef al-Jundi, manager of the Lebanon Diving Center. He described the submerged sites as central to the city's identity, drawing divers from around the world eager to see what is often called Tyre's "sunken city."

The underwater remains form part of Tyre's broader archaeological landscape. UNESCO notes that substantial remains of the ancient city lie submerged, and underwater research has documented walls, harbor structures and other traces along the former island and coastline. Tyre was a leading Phoenician maritime power with trade networks spanning the Mediterranean, renowned for its purple dye, and later became a significant Greek and Roman center. Its archaeological remains joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1984.

The war raised fears for those remains, both on land and beneath the sea. "We were worried about the archaeological sites on land, which were affected by the war and the strikes, but at the same time we were also worried about the archaeological sites underwater, but thank God they were not affected," al-Jundi said. Before the ceasefire in late June, Tyre endured intense Israeli airstrikes that heavily damaged neighborhoods. In July 2026, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee placed the city on its List of World Heritage in Danger, citing threats and damage from the hostilities.

Protecting the underwater sites remains difficult, according to Ali Badawi of Lebanon's Directorate General of Antiquities. "They're not very well protected," he said, noting that encroachments sometimes occur. He added that authorities are conducting surveys and research and working to develop laws to safeguard the sites in future.

Badawi said the authorities also aim to expand research and investment in underwater tourism, including creating underwater archaeological parks to give more visitors access to the ruins. The push comes as Tyre works to revive its tourism sector while preserving remains that span thousands of years of its history.