Several Israeli strikes in recent weeks on Baalbek in the east of Lebanon and Tyre in the south – both strongholds of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah – hit close to ancient Roman ruins designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The petition, signed by 300 prominent cultural figures, was sent to UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay on Sunday – a day before a special session in the French capital to consider listing Lebanese cultural sites under “enhanced protection”.

It urges UNESCO to protect Baalbek and other heritage sites by establishing “no-target zones” around them, deploying international observers and enforcing measures from the 1954 Hague Convention on cultural heritage in conflict.

Change Lebanon, the charity behind the petition, said signatories included museum curators, academics, archaeologists and writers from Britain, France, Italy and the United States.

Enhanced protection status gives heritage sites “high-level immunity from military attacks”, according to UNESCO. “Criminal prosecutions and sanctions, conducted by the competent authorities, may apply in cases where individuals do not respect the enhanced protection granted to a cultural property,” it said.