Lebanon Condemns Israel for Killing Journalist in Airstrike, Alleges Deliberate Targeting

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has accused Israel of committing war crimes following airstrikes in southern Lebanon that claimed the life of a prominent journalist and left another wounded on Wednesday. Officials in Beirut contend that the media workers were intentionally targeted as they attempted to take refuge after an initial strike destroyed a vehicle ahead of them.

The Incident

Amal Khalil, a 43-year-old correspondent for the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, was killed in the bombardment. Freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj was also injured. According to Lebanese authorities, the two journalists sought shelter in a residential building following the first airstrike that killed two men in a nearby vehicle.

Lebanese officials further allege that Israeli Defense Forces deliberately targeted a marked ambulance operated by the Lebanese Red Cross as it attempted to reach the wounded journalists in the village of Tayri. The IDF rejected these accusations, stating it "does not target journalists and acts to mitigate harm to them while maintaining the safety and security of its troops."

Official Statements

Prime Minister Salam declared:

"Targeting journalists, obstructing access to them by relief teams, and even targeting their locations again after these teams arrive constitutes described war crimes."

The prime minister characterized the incidents as part of an "established approach" of targeting media personnel in southern Lebanon and pledged that Lebanon would "pursue the crimes before the competent international forums."

In response, the IDF claimed it identified two vehicles departing from "a military structure used by Hezbollah." The military stated that one vehicle approached Israeli troops in a manner constituting an "immediate threat" after crossing a defensive line and violating the ceasefire agreement. The IDF maintained it struck the vehicle and the structure from which individuals had fled.

Ambulance Access Blocked

The Lebanese health ministry provided a different account, asserting that Israeli forces prevented medical personnel from reaching the injured journalists. "When a Lebanese Red Cross ambulance arrived to treat the wounded, Israeli forces directed a stun grenade and gunfire toward it, preventing it from reaching them," the ministry stated.

The health ministry characterized this as "a blatant double violation: obstructing the rescue efforts of a citizen known for her civic media activism, and targeting an ambulance clearly marked with the Red Cross emblem."

Clayton Weimer, executive director of Reporters Without Borders, corroborated these claims:

"The Red Cross signalled they were unable to get through because of ongoing Israeli bombardment. So that is callous disregard, on top of what appears to be a deliberate and targeted killing of a journalist."

International Response

The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed outrage over Khalil's death. Regional Director Sara Qudah stated:

"The repeated strikes on the same location, the targeting of an area where journalists were sheltering, and the obstruction of medical and humanitarian access constitute a grave breach of international humanitarian law."

The CPJ noted that Khalil had reportedly received an "Israeli death threat" in 2024 warning her to leave southern Lebanon, raising "serious concerns of deliberate targeting."

Al-Akhbar published a tribute describing Khalil as having "remained steadfast in her humanitarian and professional duty." The Guardian's Middle East correspondent William Christou characterized her as a "professional, kind and dedicated journalist, and always a pleasure to run into in the field."

Pattern of Journalist Deaths

Khalil's death marks the latest in a series of journalist casualties in the conflict. Earlier this month, two other journalists were killed in separate Israeli strikes:

• Ghada Dayekh, a presenter with radio station Sawt al-Farah
• Suzan Khalil, a reporter and presenter on Al-Manar TV, affiliated with Hezbollah

Last month, three journalists died in a targeted Israeli strike in Jezzine:

• Ali Shoeib, a reporter for Al Manar TV
• Fatima Ftouni, a reporter for Al Mayadeen channel
• Mohamed Ftouni, a cameraman for Al Mayadeen channel

The IDF confirmed killing Shoeib and Mohamed Ftouni, describing them as "terrorists" from Hezbollah's military wing. According to the CPJ, Israeli attacks have killed seven journalists in Lebanon thus far.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the killings as a "brazen crime" that violated "the most basic rules" of international law by targeting reporters "who are ultimately civilians performing a professional duty."

Broader Casualty Toll

According to Lebanese authorities, at least 2,475 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon since the latest conflict began, with over 7,500 wounded. This figure includes at least 274 women and 177 children and does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The Lebanese health ministry reported that a minimum of 100 medical workers have been killed in Israeli attacks during the war, and more than 120 strikes have been documented against ambulances and medical facilities.

Ceasefire Developments

Both Hezbollah and Israel have accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement. The IDF reported that Hezbollah launched attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, while Hezbollah issued four statements claiming it struck Israeli targets in response to "the Israeli enemy's violation of the ceasefire."

A meeting hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week brought Lebanese and Israeli envoys together for their first direct, high-level contact in three decades. Their governments subsequently agreed to implement a 10-day cessation of hostilities beginning Friday to "enable good-faith negotiations toward a permanent security and peace agreement."

Lebanese President Aoun confirmed that efforts were underway to extend the ceasefire and indicated that Lebanon would request a one-month extension during scheduled talks in Washington. Aoun identified Lebanese sovereignty restoration, cessation of Israeli attacks, Israeli troop withdrawal, Lebanese prisoner releases, and reconstruction as priorities for negotiations.