A Hezbollah rocket struck the protective shelter over the remains of a 1,500-year-old Byzantine church in the northern Israeli city of Nahariya on Friday night. The ancient mosaic floor inside was not damaged despite the strike, the Israel Antiquities Authority confirmed Sunday.
The rocket hit a structure built in 2022 to house a mosaic floor covering more than 500 square meters (5,382 square feet) and open the Byzantine church site to the public.
The church ruins sit in the Katznelson neighborhood and were first uncovered in 1964 during the construction of a nearby school.
Following the strike, archaeologists and conservators from the Israel Antiquities Authority visited the site alongside municipal officials and Property Tax Authority representatives. The team found that debris from the damaged building had fallen onto the mosaic, but the ancient surface remained unharmed.
Rocket hits Byzantine church but leaves ancient mosaic intact
The authority noted in a 2022 statement that the floor belonged to a church destroyed in the Sasanian Persian invasion of 614 CE. The structure was burned to the ground. The mosaic displays colorful scenes of animals, plants, and human figures.
Along the outer edge, the original artist laid 100 medallions, of which 87 have survived. A rosette, a round flower-shaped ornament, once occupied the center of the church floor.
At the 2022 public opening, Nahariya Mayor Ronen Marelly called the site a historical treasure that the city was proud to present. He said it holds significant archaeological value and should remain accessible to local residents and visitors from Israel and abroad.
Hezbollah rocket fire continues despite the Iran-Israel ceasefire
Photos released by the authority after Friday’s attack showed the mosaic buried under dust, chunks of rock, shattered tiles, and loose bricks.
Since war broke out Feb. 28, Hezbollah has directed hundreds of rockets toward Israeli territory. Exchanges between the two sides have continued even after a ceasefire between Iran and Israel came into effect on Thursday.
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