An Israeli airstrike on a compound that housed journalists in south-eastern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of three media personnel, as reported by Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency on Friday.
Footage aired by local station Al Jadeed captured the aftermath at the site, where a series of chalets rented by various media outlets had been devastated, with debris and cars labelled PRESS engulfed in dust. Reports state that the Israeli army did not provide any warning before the attack.
The pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen TV, based in Beirut, confirmed that two of its employees—camera operator Ghassan Najar and broadcast technician Mohammed Rida—were among those killed in the early hours of Friday. Additionally, Al-Manar TV, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported the death of its camera operator, Wissam Qassim, in the strike in the Hasbaya region.
Ali Shoeib, a prominent correspondent for Al-Manar in southern Lebanon, was filmed expressing his grief over the loss of his camera operator, who had worked alongside him for several months.
In the video, aired on Al-Manar TV, Shoeib stated that the Israeli military was aware that journalists from various media organisations were present in the targeted area.
“We were reporting the news and showing the suffering of the victims and now we are the news and the victims of Israel’s crimes,” he remarked.
The Hasbaya region has largely avoided the violence that has affected other areas along the border, and many journalists had relocated there from the nearby town of Marjayoun, which has experienced sporadic strikes in recent weeks. Earlier this week, an office belonging to Al-Mayadeen was struck on the outskirts of Beirut’s southern suburbs, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Since the outbreak of hostilities along the Lebanon-Israel border in early October last year, several journalists have lost their lives.
Frances Ibiefo
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