“Journalists harmed in missile strike near Lebanon-Israel border; Israel denies responsibility.”
A Reuters video journalist lost his life, and six other journalists sustained injuries in southern Lebanon on Friday due to missiles that struck them from the direction of Israel. An eyewitness, a Reuters videographer present at the scene, reported that the group of journalists, including representatives from Al Jazeera and Agence France-Presse, had been operating near Alma al-Shaab, a location close to the Israeli border. This area had been experiencing border clashes between the Israeli military and Lebanese militia Hezbollah. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and a Hezbollah lawmaker pointed fingers at Israel, holding it responsible for the incident.
The Israel Defense Forces refrained from an immediate response to inquiries. In a briefing, Israel’s U.N. envoy, Gilad Erdan, expressed the desire to avoid harming journalists but noted the state of war and the possibility of unforeseen events. He assured that the country would conduct an investigation into the matter. Reuters, in an official statement, confirmed the tragic death of Issam Abdallah, who had been providing a live video feed for broadcasters at the time of the incident. The camera was directed toward a hillside when a deafening explosion rocked the area, filling the air with smoke and the sounds of distress. Reuters expressed deep sorrow over the loss and pledged to collaborate with regional authorities while supporting Issam’s family and colleagues.
Two other Reuters journalists, Thaer Al-Sudani and Maher Nazeh, were wounded but later discharged from the hospital after receiving medical care. Nazeh recounted that they were filming missile fire from the Israeli direction when Abdallah was struck while sitting on a low stone wall. Moments later, another missile hit the group’s car, engulfing it in flames. Despite claims from other news outlets, including the Associated Press and Al Jazeera, that the shells were Israeli, Reuters could not definitively confirm the source of the missiles. Agence France-Presse reported injuries to two of its journalists. Al Jazeera, a Qatari-funded broadcaster, said two of its journalists were also wounded and identified as members of the press. They placed blame on Israel for the incident, demanding accountability for all responsible for what they termed a “criminal act.”
The village of Alma Al-Shaab had witnessed repeated clashes since a conflict broke out further south between Israel and Hamas, a Palestinian militia closely linked to Hezbollah. Hamas fighters had recently launched an assault on Israeli civilians and soldiers, resulting in heavy bombardment of Gaza. In an interview with Reuters, Fatima Kanso, Abdallah’s mother, directly accused Israel of her son’s death, asserting that they were all wearing press gear with “press” clearly visible. The Israel Defense Forces refrained from an immediate comment on Kanso’s allegations, emphasizing their commitment to minimizing civilian casualties.
Israel’s UN envoy, Erdan, expressed regret over the incident, stating that they felt sorry for it and pledged to investigate. He cautioned that it was too early to definitively determine what transpired. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, a peacekeeping unit monitoring the Lebanon-Israel border, conveyed its sadness over the incident and called for a halt to the firing. They noted the potential for further escalation and the urgent need to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.
