U.S. and Israeli strikes damaged four major Iranian historical sites, including Tehran’s Golestan Palace and Isfahan’s Masjed-e Jāme, despite UNESCO’s efforts to protect them.

U.S. and Israeli strikes have damaged at least four major historical sites in Iran, including Tehran’s Golestan Palace, Isfahan’s Masjed-e Jāme mosque, and prehistoric caves in the Khorramabad Valley, according to UNESCO and the Associated Press. Shattered glass, broken archways, and destroyed architectural elements were confirmed, despite UNESCO sharing site coordinates with conflict parties to avoid harm. Iran and Lebanon have urged UNESCO to expand its list of protected sites. The destruction is part of a broader pattern in modern conflicts, with U.N. officials and human rights advocates warning that such losses undermine community identity and social cohesion.