Lebanon accuses Israel of targeting journalist killed in airstrike

Lebanese authorities reported the toll of the war as at least 2,475 killed and more than 7,500 wounded in Lebanon since the latest conflict began, including at least 274 women and 177 children; the health ministry said last week that at least 100 medical workers had been killed and more than 120 attacks on ambulances and medical facilities had occurred; CPJ says seven journalists had been killed in Lebanon in the conflict.

A Lebanese official told AFP that Lebanon would request a one-month extension of the ceasefire at forthcoming talks.

President Michel Aoun said efforts were underway to extend the ceasefire, with Lebanese negotiators seeking an end to Israeli attacks, withdrawal of Israeli troops, release of prisoners, deployment of Lebanese troops along the border, and reconstruction.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said it was outraged by Khalil's death and called the strikes and obstruction of medical access a grave breach of international humanitarian law.

The IDF issued a statement saying it does not target journalists and acts to mitigate harm to them while maintaining troop safety; it asserted it did not prevent rescue teams from reaching the area and that it struck vehicles and a Hezbollah-associated structure.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said targeting journalists, obstructing access to them by relief teams, and even targeting their locations after teams arrive constitutes war crimes. He vowed to pursue the crimes before competent international forums.

The IDF said it identified two vehicles that had departed a Hezbollah structure; one vehicle approached Israeli troops in an immediate threat after crossing a forward defense line, violating a ceasefire. The Air Force then struck the vehicle and the structure from which the individuals had fled.

The Lebanese health ministry says an ambulance arriving to treat the wounded was directed with a stun grenade and gunfire, hindering the response. It described the incident as a blatant double violation alongside targeting a clearly marked Red Cross ambulance.

Lebanese officials say Amal Khalil, 43, a journalist with Al-Akhbar, was killed and Zeinab Faraj, a freelance photographer, was wounded after an initial airstrike hit the vehicle in front of them; they had sought shelter in a home in Tayri, southern Lebanon. The two men who died were unnamed.

The parties agreed to a 10-day cessation of hostilities that began on Friday, as part of efforts to enable good-faith negotiations toward a permanent security and peace agreement.

A meeting hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio brought Lebanese and Israeli envoys together for the first direct high-level contact in three decades between the two countries, as part of broader discussions on ceasefire and peace.

Earlier this month, Ghada Dayekh and Suzan Khalil were killed in separate Israeli strikes in Lebanon (Dayekh on Sawt al-Farah and Khalil on Al-Manar).

Last month, Ali Shoeib (Al-Manar TV) and Fatima Ftouni and her brother Mohamed Ftouni (Al Mayadeen) were killed in a strike on Jezzine. The IDF confirmed Shoeib and Mohamed Ftouni’s deaths and described them as Hezbollah terrorists; it said it was aware of reports of a female journalist’s death.

In 2024, Khalil reportedly faced a death threat warning her to leave southern Lebanon, a report CPJ said raised serious concerns of deliberate targeting.