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Three Lebanese journalists were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a guesthouse in southeastern Lebanon that was known to house reporters, according to witnesses speaking to the BBC. The attack targeted a compound in Hasbaya, where more than a dozen journalists from at least seven media outlets were staying. Vehicles in the courtyard were clearly marked as "press."
The journalists, Ghassan Najjar and Mohamed Reda from Al Mayadeen TV, and Wissam Qassem from Al-Manar TV, were among those killed. Both broadcasters issued statements paying tribute to their employees. Lebanon's information minister condemned the attack as deliberate, calling it a "war crime."
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The Israeli military stated that the strike targeted a Hezbollah facility, but it is currently reviewing the incident. The Lebanese health ministry reported that three others were injured. This incident follows the deaths of five reporters in earlier Israeli strikes in Lebanon, including Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah.
Footage from Al-Jadeed TV, whose journalists were also at the site, showed the heavily damaged building, with a collapsed roof and scattered rubble. A broadcast vehicle was overturned, with its satellite dish damaged. An Al-Jadeed journalist reported that the house's use as a media stay-house had been coordinated with all relevant parties, emphasizing that the attack was deliberate, without any warning.
Journalists in southern Lebanon had moved to Hasbaya from Marj'youn due to increasing danger. Hours after the incident, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they had targeted a Hezbollah military site from which "terrorists were operating." They acknowledged reports that journalists were affected and are reviewing the incident.
MTV Lebanon's reporter Youmna Fawwaz described the aftermath, stating that the strike happened around 3:00 AM, with journalists trapped under rubble. She noted that the compound was known to both Israel and Hezbollah as a media facility, and all vehicles were marked as press. According to her, the strike was intentional, aimed at intimidating journalists.
Lebanon's information minister, Ziad Makary, accused Israel of deliberately targeting journalists in violation of international law, calling it an "assassination." He added that the attack had been planned, knowing that 18 journalists from seven media organizations were present
Hasbaya, located near the Israeli border, had seen attacks in its peripheries but this was the first strike on the town itself. The incident is part of a broader conflict, with Israel increasing airstrikes and ground operations in southern Lebanon. Recent weeks have seen UN peacekeepers being forced to withdraw from observation posts due to attacks, while Israeli military operations have also targeted border areas used by Hezbollah for arms smuggling.
Since the escalation began on 8 October last year, Lebanon has recorded over 1,700 airstrikes, resulting in nearly 2,600 casualties, with hostilities escalating since 23 September. The conflict, initially sparked by Hamas's attack on Israel, has led to rocket fire from Hezbollah into northern Israel, displacing around 60,000 Israelis.
Israel has denied targeting journalists, stating that proximity to "terrorist infrastructure" poses a danger. The attack on the journalists' compound follows accusations from the Israeli military against Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza, alleging affiliations with armed groups, which the broadcaster denies. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that 123 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since Israel's operations began, with the Gaza health authority stating over 42,000 people have died. The conflict has also claimed the lives of two Israeli journalists.