In brief
In a targeted airstrike on Saturday, three Lebanese journalists, including two from Al Mayadeen and one from Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar, were killed in Jezzine, southern Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces identified one of the journalists as a member of Hezbollah, labeling him a 'terrorist'. The incident has drawn significant condemnation from Lebanese officials who argue that the attack violated international laws protecting journalists. This marks a disturbing trend in the ongoing conflict, raising concerns about the safety of media personnel in war zones.
Three Lebanese journalists were killed in a targeted Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Saturday, their employers have said.
Ali Shoeib, a reporter for the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar TV, was killed in the town of Jezzine alongside reporter Fatima Ftouni and cameraman Mohamed Ftouni from the channel Al Mayadeen, according to the stations.
The strike reportedly hit the journalists' car just before noon local time (10:00 GMT).
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it had killed Shoeib, describing him as a 'terrorist' from Iranian-backed Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force who had 'operated for years under the guise of a journalist'.
It said he had worked to 'expose the locations of IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon and along the border', including during the current fighting, and had used his position 'to disseminate Hezbollah propaganda materials'.
The IDF did not comment on the deaths of Fatima or Mohamed Ftouni.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called the strike a 'brazen crime' that broke the 'most basic rules' of international law by targeting reporters, 'who are ultimately civilians performing a professional duty'.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam likewise condemned the attack in a statement on X, branding it a 'flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and a clear breach of the rules that guarantee the protection of journalists in times of war'.
This incident marks the second time Israel has been accused of targeting journalists in Lebanon since the ongoing conflict began a month ago.
On 18 March, Al Manar reported its presenter Mohammad Sherri and his wife had been killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut while they were sleeping.
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, more than 1,100 civilians, including 120 children and 42 paramedics, have been killed in Lebanon during the conflict so far. Over a million people have been displaced, worsening an existing humanitarian crisis in the country.
Many in Lebanon are concerned that Israel is employing tactics similar to those criticized in Gaza, including the deliberate targeting of civilians, journalists, and paramedics, which Israel denies.
Despite an agreed ceasefire in November 2024, tensions persist as Israel continues military operations it claims are necessary to protect its citizens from Hezbollah attacks.
