- Three journalists were killed in an Israeli air strike in Jezzine, Lebanon
- Israel justified the strike, accusing a journalist of Hezbollah ties
- Al Mayadeen confirmed the vehicle was clearly marked as press
Lebanon called the killing of three journalists, whose press-marked car was struck during an Israeli air strike in Jezzine on Saturday, a "flagrant violation of international law".
The three journalists were identified as Al Mayadeen's Fatima Ftouni, her brother and colleague Mohammed, and Al-Manar's Ali Shaib.
Reports claimed multiple projectiles hit the vehicle. A health worker was also killed in the attack.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) justified the killing of the journalists, accusing Shaib of having "operated within the Hezbollah terrorist organisation under the guise of a journalist". Shaib was one of Al Manar's most prominent war correspondents, having covered Israeli attacks on Lebanon for decades.
Hours before her killing, Ftouni had posted on X about the Israeli army being thwarted near Litani river.,
Ftouni's death comes weeks after her uncle and other family members were killed in an Israeli air strike. Her death renewed concerns over the safety of media persons in Lebanon and other conflict-hit areas.
In a statement, Al Mayadeen said Ftouni was in a vehicle clearly labeled "Press" alongside other journalists. The news organisation, which is being accused of sympathetic to the Hezbollah, has lost six journalists since March 2.
"Turns out the 'press vest' was just a cover for terror," the IDF said.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam blamed Israel for violating norms and treaties under which journalists are granted international protection during armed conflicts.
Recently, a Russian journalist narrowly escaped a missile attack, when a projectile fell right behind him and he ducked in time to save his life.
Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war when Tehran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in the opening salvo of the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic.
Israel has responded with large-scale airstrikes across Lebanon and a ground offensive in the south, with Lebanese authorities reporting at least 1,189 people killed since the hostilities broke out.
A strike on central Beirut earlier this month killed Mohammad Sherri, Al Manar's political programmes director.
Israeli forces have been pushing into areas near the border, and officials have announced plans to establish a buffer zone up to the Litani River, around 30 kilometres north of Israel.
