An Israeli strike in Lebanon killed three journalists, including a reporter for the Hezbollah-owned Al Manar television network. The attack has drawn condemnation from Lebanese officials and raised concerns from the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Journalists Killed in Israeli Strike
Ali Shuaib, a journalist with Al Manar, was among those killed when an Israeli strike targeted the vehicle he was traveling in, according to the television network. Two other journalists, siblings Fatima and Mohammad Ftouni, also died in the strike, reported by the pro-Iran and pro-Hezbollah Al Mayadeen channel.
The Israeli military accused Shuaib of operating as a “terrorist” under the guise of a journalist, alleging he was exposing locations of Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. Al Manar described Shuaib as an “icon of resistance media.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is investigating the attack, stating that “journalists are not legitimate targets, regardless of the outlet they work for.” The CPJ noted a “disturbing pattern” of Israel accusing journalists of being combatants without providing credible evidence.
Lebanon’s president called the attack a “blatant crime,” and Information Minister Paul Morcos announced the government will file a complaint with the UN Security Council, describing it as a “deliberate and blatant war crime against the media.”
Footage posted by Al Mayadeen showed the father of Fatima and Mohammad Ftouni expressing pride in his children. A colleague, Jamal Al-Gharabi, stood near the charred remains of the vehicle, displaying a bullet-proof vest marked “press” in Arabic.
“This is the car – a civilian car,” Al-Gharabi said, claiming it was hit by multiple missiles. He questioned international laws protecting journalists and civilians.
Fatima Ftouni survived a similar Israeli strike in October 2024, according to the CPJ, which said the attack hit a compound housing 18 journalists, killing two journalists and a media worker. In a video following that incident, she held up her helmet, vest, and microphone, calling them “the weapon that we carry.”
Israel is currently engaged in an escalating offensive against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
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