An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of three journalists who were reporting on the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict, as confirmed by their respective TV networks. Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV announced the loss of their veteran correspondent Ali Shoeib during the attack. The Israeli military claimed Shoeib was a Hezbollah intelligence operative and targeted him without presenting any proof.
Additionally, Beirut-based Al Mayadeen TV reported the deaths of reporter Fatima Ftouni and her brother Mohammed, a video journalist, in the same airstrike in the Jezzine district of southern Lebanon. Fatima had just finished a live report from the area before the tragic incident took place.
Lebanon’s top officials, including President Joseph Aoun, condemned the airstrike, labeling it a blatant violation of laws and agreements protecting journalists. Al-Manar TV characterized the incident as an Israeli airstrike specifically aimed at journalists, leading to the loss of a respected figure in resistance media, Ali Shoeib.
The Israeli military alleged that Shoeib had been systematically revealing the locations of Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon, maintaining ties with Hezbollah militants, and inciting violence against Israeli forces and civilians. Al-Manar TV did not directly address the accusations but praised Shoeib for his professional and credible journalism over his nearly three-decade career covering events in southern Lebanon.
Israeli military’s accusations against Shoeib mirrored past claims made against Palestinian journalists during conflicts with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, accusing them of being militants disguised as reporters. The Israeli military did not acknowledge the deaths of the two other individuals in its official statement.
Since the commencement of the recent Israel-Hezbollah conflict on March 2, Israel’s air force has targeted Hezbollah’s civilian infrastructure, including al-Manar’s headquarters and Al-Nour radio station. This recent incident follows an earlier Israeli airstrike in central Beirut that resulted in the deaths of Mohammed Sherri, the head of political programs at al-Manar TV, and his wife.
The latest fatalities have brought the total number of journalists and media personnel killed in Lebanon this year to five. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported the death of freelance photojournalist Hussain Hamood, who collaborated with al-Manar TV, in Nabatieh on Wednesday.