In the wake of a deadly Israeli airstrike on a press building in southeastern Lebanon, the BBC has reported that three Lebanese journalists have lost their lives. Eyewitnesses indicate that the attack targeted a guesthouse in Hasbaya, which was known to be sheltering over a dozen journalists from at least seven media organizations, with vehicles prominently marked as “press” parked in the courtyard.
Among the deceased are camera operator Ghassan Najjar and engineer Mohamed Reda, both affiliated with the pro-Iranian news channel Al Mayadeen, as well as camera operator Wissam Qassem from Hezbollah-aligned Al-Manar. The Lebanese Ministry of Health confirmed that three additional individuals sustained injuries in the incident. This tragedy follows the deaths of five reporters in previous Israeli assaults in Lebanon, which includes the fatality of Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah.
Footage aired by Al-Jadeed TV, whose journalists were also based at the site, depicted the destruction, showing a collapsed building with rubble strewn across the floors. An overturned vehicle equipped for broadcasting lay mangled nearby, its satellite dish in disarray. An Al-Jadeed journalist, visibly shaken and covered in dust, stated during a live report, “All official parties were told that this house was being used as a stay-house for journalists. We coordinated with them all.”
The situation for reporters covering the conflict had become increasingly perilous, prompting journalists to relocate from Marj’youn to Hasbaya. In a statement shortly after the attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed they targeted a Hezbollah military facility in Hasbaya, asserting that “terrorists were operating” from there. The military indicated that the strike exposed the risks posed by proximity to “terrorist infrastructure” and acknowledged that reports of journalists being hit had surfaced post-strike, stating the incident is under review.
Youmna Fawwaz, a reporter for MTV Lebanon, recounted how journalists in the compound were awakened around 3:00 AM local time by the explosion. She described chaotic scenes with ceilings collapsing and dust filling the air, all while the sound of fighter jets resounded overhead. Each news outlet operated from separate buildings within the compound, with the structure housing Al Mayadeen reporters reportedly “obliterated” while Al-Manar employees were also present.
Fawwaz emphasized the well-known nature of the media compound to both Israel and Hezbollah, asserting, “The airstrike was carried out on purpose. Everyone knew we were there. All the vehicles were labeled as press. There wasn’t even a warning given to us.” She further expressed concern about the methods being used to intimidate journalists, likening the situation to tactics employed in Gaza.
Lebanon’s Information Minister Ziad Makary condemned the attack, characterizing it as a deliberate assault on journalists that violates international law. He accused Israel of planning the strike to catch journalists “in their sleep,” stating that the act was a premeditated assassination, as there were 18 journalists from seven media institutions present at the time.
The attack occurred in Hasbaya, a diverse area about five miles from the Israeli border, which has seen sporadic assaults in recent weeks. This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, which has seen Israel intensifying airstrikes and conducting ground operations in southern border towns.
The UN peacekeepers recently declared that they had to withdraw from an observation post due to gunfire from Israeli forces, while the IDF confirmed it targeted a border crossing used for smuggling weapons. Since October 2, Lebanese authorities report over 1,700 airstrikes throughout the nation.
Following the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah on October 8, triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel, nearly 2,600 people in Lebanon have lost their lives, with casualties mounting following Israel’s escalated military response.
The assault on journalists reflects a broader trend, as recent Israeli military accusations have implicated Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza, a claim the network vehemently refuted. The Committee to Protect Journalists notes that at least 123 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since the escalation began last year, with the death toll in Gaza exceeding 42,000 according to Hamas’s health authority. Two Israeli journalists have also died amid the ongoing conflict.
