Lebanon Condemns Israeli Airstrike Killing Journalists, Calls It ‘War Crime’

• Oct 25, 2024

Three media workers lost their lives, and three others were injured following an Israeli airstrike on a residence housing journalists in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The tragic event occurred early Friday, with a targeted strike on a compound in Hasbaya, a town just miles from the Israeli border. The compound, commonly used by journalists, was hit without warning, sparking outrage across media and government sectors.

Lebanese channels Al Mayadeen TV and Al-Manar TV confirmed that they lost key team members in the attack. Al Mayadeen mourned the loss of cameraman Ghassan Najjar and engineer Mohamed Reda, while Al-Manar announced that cameraman Wissam Qassem also perished. Lebanese officials, including Information Minister Ziad Makary, strongly condemned the assault, deeming it a deliberate attack on journalists and classifying it as a “war crime.” Makary alleged that Israel knowingly targeted the compound, as it was a well-known media location with press-marked vehicles and buildings.

There was no immediate response from the Israeli military, though Israel has previously denied accusations of targeting journalists. This incident is the latest in escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah, which began shortly after Hamas’s assault on Israel on October 8 last year. Since then, hostilities in Lebanon have intensified, with Hezbollah firing rockets and drones into Israel as an expression of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Lebanese authorities report over 1,700 Israeli airstrikes across the country in the past three weeks, with many civilians affected.

Journalists from Al-Jadeed TV, another channel with staff in the same Hasbaya residence, provided footage of the aftermath: a bombed-out structure with fallen ceilings, floors covered in rubble, and an overturned broadcast vehicle with its satellite equipment wrecked. Al-Jadeed reporters, visibly shaken and covered in dust, relayed their account of the attack, describing the terrifying moments as the compound came under fire. Youmna Fawwaz, an MTV Lebanon reporter, recounted how they were jolted awake by the attack around 3:00 a.m., surrounded by the noise of overhead fighter jets and collapsing debris. She explained that each organization had its own area within the compound, but the Al Mayadeen building was hit especially hard, leaving it in ruins.

This attack underscores the mounting tension in Lebanon, where ongoing Israeli airstrikes have left nearly 2,600 casualties, as reported by the Lebanese Health Ministry. More than 60,000 people in northern Israel have been displaced by Hezbollah rocket attacks, with the Israeli government identifying the return of these citizens as a key priority.

Israel’s intensified strikes have caused extensive damage to Lebanon’s infrastructure, with over 3,600 buildings reportedly damaged or destroyed between October 2 and 14 alone. The conflict shows little sign of abating, as both nations face significant losses and displacement, while media workers and journalists continue to operate under life-threatening conditions.