An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed three journalists, drawing condemnations from Lebanese officials amid ongoing regional conflicts.
Three Lebanese journalists were killed in a targeted Israeli strike in the town of Jezzine on Saturday, as reported by their employers. The victims included Ali Shoeib, a reporter for Al Manar TV, and Fatima Ftouni and Mohamed Ftouni from Al Mayadeen.
The strike hit the journalists' car just before noon local time. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the killing of Shoeib, describing him as a member of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force who had posed as a journalist to gather intelligence on IDF positions.
Official Reactions and Context
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack as a "brazen crime" that violates international law by targeting civilians performing professional duties. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also denounced it as a breach of humanitarian law on social media.
This incident marks the second accusation of Israel targeting journalists in Lebanon since the escalation of the US-Israel conflict with Iran about a month ago. On March 18, an Al Manar presenter and his wife were killed in a similar strike in Beirut.
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 ongoing conflict. Over a million people have been displaced as a result.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was agreed in November 2024, but partial implementation has led to continued skirmishes. Hezbollah has fired rockets into northern Israel in retaliation for recent events, prompting Israeli escalations.
Israel maintains that its operations aim to protect its communities from Hezbollah attacks and has accused the group of rearming despite the ceasefire.
