BEIRUT — At least three Lebanese journalists were killed on Saturday in airstrikes carried out by Israeli forces, officials and media reports confirmed, marking a deadly escalation in southern Lebanon amid ongoing clashes between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health said the first strike targeted a journalist on assignment in the conflict zone. A second airstrike hit emergency responders rushing to aid the wounded, causing additional deaths and injuries. The ministry warned that medical personnel are increasingly at risk, noting that more than 50 healthcare workers have been killed in Lebanon since the recent surge in hostilities, including nine in a single day.
“Medical teams were directly targeted while en route to the scene of the attack,” the ministry said in a statement. “This represents a serious threat to the safety of journalists and healthcare professionals in the country.”
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes following the strikes, with ambulances and local volunteers struggling to evacuate the injured from the bombed areas. “We tried to help the wounded as fast as possible,” a paramedic told reporters. “But the second strike caught many of us on the way, leaving us helpless.”
Israel has previously accused Hezbollah of using medical facilities and personnel for military purposes, warning that hospitals and clinics could become targets if such activities continue. An Israeli military spokesperson reiterated on Saturday that its operations are aimed at neutralizing Hezbollah’s military capabilities, and that civilian casualties, while regrettable, occur amid the militant group’s positioning within populated areas.
The attacks have drawn condemnation from journalists’ unions, human rights organizations, and international observers. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called the killings “a direct attack on press freedom and the protection of journalists in conflict zones,” urging both sides to respect international humanitarian law.
Southern Lebanon has been the epicenter of repeated clashes in recent weeks, as Hezbollah and Israeli forces exchange fire along the border. Civilians, journalists, and medical personnel have increasingly been caught in the crossfire, with hospitals, media offices, and emergency vehicles coming under direct attack, according to local authorities.
The Lebanese government has called for international intervention, stressing that the deliberate targeting of journalists and medical staff “violates all norms of international law” and exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in the region.
