An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon has killed three journalists, including a correspondent affiliated with a Hezbollah-run television channel, according to local media reports.
The strike targeted a vehicle in the town of Jezzine on Saturday, killing Ali Shuaib, a reporter for Al Manar TV, which is operated by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. The Israeli military alleged that Shuaib was acting as a “terrorist” under the cover of journalism and had been providing information on Israeli troop positions in southern Lebanon.
Al Manar, however, described Shuaib as an “icon of resistance media,” rejecting Israel’s claims.
Two additional journalists — siblings Fatima Ftouni and Mohammad Ftouni — were also killed in the same strike, according to the pro-Hezbollah Al Mayadeen television network. The Israeli military did not comment on their deaths.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said it is investigating the incident and emphasized that journalists should not be targeted, regardless of their affiliations. The organization also noted a recurring pattern of Israel accusing journalists of militant involvement without presenting sufficient evidence.
Lebanon’s presidency condemned the attack as a “blatant crime,” stating that it violated international humanitarian law and the protections granted to journalists during armed conflict. Information Minister Paul Morcos announced that the government would file a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council, describing the strike as a deliberate attack on the media.
The incident comes amid intensifying military operations by Israel against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, raising further concerns about the safety of civilians and journalists in conflict zones.
In emotional footage aired by Al Mayadeen, a colleague of the victims stood beside the charred remains of the targeted vehicle, holding a torn press vest marked “press” in Arabic. “This vest was supposed to protect my colleagues,” he said, highlighting the risks faced by journalists covering the conflict.
The attack echoes a previous incident in 2024, when a strike on a journalists’ compound in southern Lebanon killed multiple media workers, further underscoring the dangers faced by reporters in the region.
