“Israel killed three journalists in south Lebanon on Saturday, their TV channels and authorities said, prompting condemnation from the Lebanese government who called the killings a 'blatant war crime'.”

“Ali Shoeib, from the Hezbollah-owned al-Manar television station, Fatima Ftouni and her brother and cameraman Mohammed Ftouni from the pro-Hezbollah outlet al-Mayadeen, were killed in the strike targeting their car.”

“Shoeib was a well known war correspondent in Lebanon, where he reported for al-Manar for nearly three decades.”

“Eighteen months earlier, she and her colleagues were struck by an Israeli bomb while they were sleeping in a hotel in south Lebanon; Ftouni survived but two of her colleagues did not.”

“The three journalists were struck as they were driving in Jezzine, a district in south Lebanon far from the frontlines. Local television showed at least four missiles were shot at the car and footage appeared to show a missile being fired between the journalists’ car and bystanders as the latter tried to approach and help.”

“The Israeli military said the strike was aimed at Shoeib, who it claimed was a member of Hezbollah’s Radwan force: the most elite unit of the pro-Iran armed group which specialises in cross-border raids.”

“International law says that regardless of political affiliation, journalists are considered civilians and targeting them is a war crime.”

“Eight out of the nine journalists killed by Israel in Lebanon since 13 October 2023 worked for Hezbollah-affiliated outlets, and analysts have suggested the killings come as a part of Israel’s strategy of attacking the civilian wings of the group.”