Lebanese Journalists Survive Israeli Gunfire in Southern Lebanon

January 26, 2025 – Lebanon –

In yet another alarming incident highlighting the growing dangers journalists face in conflict zones, a news crew from Russia Today (RT) narrowly survived an Israeli military attack while reporting from Maroun El Ras, a southern Lebanese village near the Israeli border. The team was clearly marked as press when Israeli gunfire targeted their position. Despite their professional identification, transmission engineer Hussein Khalil sustained injuries, while reporter Hussein Ayad managed to escape unharmed. The crew’s vehicle and equipment were also damaged in the attack.

Footage released by MTV Lebanon shows the moment the journalists were forced to flee under heavy fire, emphasizing the life-threatening conditions reporters are enduring on the frontlines of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. This latest attack raises serious questions about the safety of journalists operating in war zones, even when they take all necessary precautions to identify themselves as members of the media.

This is not an isolated incident. Since the escalation of hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border in 2023, journalists have increasingly become casualties of the conflict. In one of the most high-profile cases, Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah was killed by Israeli tank fire in October 2023 while reporting from Aalma ech Chaab, another southern Lebanese town. Multiple investigations into that incident suggest that Abdallah and his team were clearly identifiable as journalists, intensifying global outrage and calls for accountability.

Further escalating concerns, in October 2024, three journalists affiliated with Hezbollah’s media outlets were killed in an Israeli airstrike while resting in Hasbaya. Reports indicated that U.S.-made precision bombs were used in the attack, raising additional questions about adherence to international humanitarian law.

The repeated targeting of media personnel has sparked international condemnation, as deliberate attacks on journalists may constitute violations of international law and potential war crimes. Advocacy groups continue to call for independent investigations into these attacks, stronger measures to protect journalists, and accountability for those responsible.

As the conflict intensifies, journalists continue risking their lives to deliver critical information from the frontlines. The global community must act to ensure their safety and uphold the principles of press freedom.

References – 

https://therealnews.com/sadly-there-are-martyrs-among-our-colleagues-israel-continues-targeting-and-killing-journalists-in-lebanon

https://www.mtv.com.lb/en/News/Local/1542868/watch–journalists-survive-israeli-gunfire