BEIRUT (AP) — An Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon on Saturday resulted in the deaths of three journalists who were reporting on the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict, according to statements from their respective TV stations. The first casualty, noted by Hezbollah's al-Manar TV, was Ali Shoeib, a longtime correspondent who had been reporting from southern Lebanon for nearly thirty years. Israel’s military confirmed targeting Shoeib, accusing him of serving as a Hezbollah intelligence operative, although they did not provide any supporting evidence for this claim.
In addition to Shoeib, other journalists who lost their lives in the airstrike include Fatima Ftouni, a reporter for the Beirut-based pan-Arab channel Al-Mayadeen TV, and her brother Mohammed, a video journalist. Al-Mayadeen reported that Fatima had just been live on air when the airstrike took place in the southern district of Jezzine. The tragic incident has raised concerns regarding journalist safety amidst the escalating violence.
Lebanon's top officials have condemned the airstrike, with President Joseph Aoun labeling it a “flagrant crime that violates all laws and agreements that protect journalists.” The Israeli military further claimed that Shoeib was involved in systematic efforts to expose the positions of Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon and alleged that he maintained contact with Hezbollah militants while inciting violence against Israeli forces and civilians. Al-Manar TV, in response to the allegations, described Shoeib as “distinguished by his professional and credible reporting of events.”
This airstrike mirrors previous instances during the Israeli military actions against Palestinian journalists in Gaza, where claims were made that those targeted were militants posing as journalists. Significantly, the Israeli military chose not to mention the other two casualties in its statements, drawing attention to its controversial practices regarding the targeting of media personnel.
Following the latest airstrike, hostilities in the region escalated, with Hezbollah reportedly launching around 250 projectiles towards Israel in a 24-hour period. An Israeli military official, who spoke anonymously, indicated that while most of these projectiles were aimed at Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, only 23 crossed into Israel. This increase in conflict has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in Lebanon.
The Health Ministry in Beirut reported that 47 individuals had been killed and 112 wounded in the last 24 hours, bringing the total death toll since the onset of hostilities on March 2 to 1,189. The Health Minister, Rakan Nassereddine, confirmed that among the dead were nine paramedics killed in Israeli strikes on Saturday, which raises the toll of healthcare workers lost during the ongoing conflict to 51. In addition, the Israeli military has reported nine injuries among its soldiers due to two attacks in southern Lebanon, further heightening tensions on both sides of the conflict.
This airstrike marks a significant escalation in the already fraught relations between Israel and Hezbollah, sparking outrage both domestically in Lebanon and internationally regarding the treatment of journalists in conflict zones. The loss of three journalists highlights the dangerous environment for media personnel working in the region as they seek to report on the realities of war amid ongoing violence and retaliation.
