Israeli Strike Kills Lebanese Journalist Amal Khalil in Targeted Attack

Israeli air strikes killed journalist Amal Khalil and wounded photographer Zeinab Faraj in the village of Tayri in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, with Lebanese officials accusing Israel of a deliberate 'double-tap' attack and targeting a marked ambulance attempting rescue. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of war crimes, while the IDF denied targeting journalists and said it struck vehicles from a Hezbollah military structure that posed an immediate threat. The attack occurred amid a fragile 10-day ceasefire that began Friday, with both sides accusing each other of violations and Lebanese officials planning to request a one-month extension at Washington talks. The incident adds to a toll of seven journalists killed in Lebanon during the conflict, which has claimed at least 2,475 lives including 274 women and 177 children since the war began.

Circumstances of the strike and allegations of deliberate targeting

• ▪In 2024, Amal Khalil said she had been the target of an Israeli death threat that warned her to leave southern Lebanon.

Ceasefire violations and ongoing diplomatic efforts

• ▪The Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday that Hezbollah launched an attack on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

Perspective of Press freedom organizations

• ▪The Committee to Protect Journalists views the 2024 Israeli death threat against Amal Khalil as raising serious concerns of deliberate targeting.

10 sources