Israel states investigation is underway regarding the airstrike that resulted in the deaths of journalists.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that a recent airstrike in southern Lebanon, which claimed the lives of three journalists, is currently under examination. The military asserts that its operation aimed at eradicating Hezbollah combatants.
“In the early hours, based on intelligence, our forces targeted a Hezbollah military installation in the Hasbaya region,” the IDF shared in a communiqué to AFP.
“The operation took place while the militants were present inside the facility,” the statement elaborated.
“Only several hours after the strike, we received news that journalists were among those affected. We’re reviewing the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident.”
In a parallel turn of events, Hezbollah escalated tensions by taking the lives of two individuals in northern Israel, while violence surged in Gaza as the United States advocated for a resolution to the ongoing conflict.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the pressing necessity for diplomatic negotiations, just a day after he voiced concerns regarding a prolonged military campaign in Lebanon by Israel.
Israel initiated its extensive offensive in Lebanon a month ago, justifying its actions as necessary for ensuring the safe return of tens of thousands of Israelis evacuated from northern areas due to incessant rocket fire.
Emergency responders sift through the debris of structures in Hasbaya post-strike, highlighting the devastation.
Lebanese officials reported the staggering toll of the Israeli campaign in Lebanon, noting over 2,500 fatalities and more than 1.2 million people displaced, worsening an already dire humanitarian situation.
The intensity of rocket attacks by Hezbollah surged following the assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited ongoing hostilities in Gaza, where Palestinian authorities reported at least 72 deaths from Israeli airstrikes just overnight.
In the northern Gaza region, a representative from the World Health Organization described the carnage and turmoil witnessed after an Israeli incursion into the Kamal Adwan hospital.
The attack that resulted in casualties in Majd al-Krum, northern Israel, followed Hezbollah’s declaration of targeted missile strikes on the town of Karmiel.
The recent strikes marked one of the most lethal days for journalists during this year of ongoing conflict.
“The world must take decisive action against Iran—before it’s too late,” proclaimed Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The slain journalists, who were resting in guesthouses in southern Lebanon at the time of the attack, were identified as Al-Mayadeen reporters Ghassan Najjar and Mohamed Reda, alongside Wissam Qassem from Hezbollah’s Al-Manar. Other individuals were also reported wounded.
Notably, five journalists had previously lost their lives while covering the conflict, including Issam Abdallah, a visual journalist from Reuters, who was killed on October 13, 2023.
“This constitutes a war crime,” stated Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makary.
According to reports, at least 18 journalists from six media organizations, including Sky News and Al-Jazeera, were present in the guesthouse during the strike.
“We heard the aircraft flying at an exceedingly low altitude—that’s what jostled us awake—followed by the sound of two missiles,” recounted Muhammad Farhat, a reporter from Lebanese channel Al-Jadeed. His footage captured overturned vehicles, some of which were labeled “Press.”
Commenting on the strike via X, former Twitter, the United Nations’ special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan, expressed, “The intentional killing of a journalist is unequivocally a war crime.”
Israel, which firmly denies targeting journalists, has yet to provide an immediate response to requests for comments on the incident.
According to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Israeli forces allegedly directed fire towards their troops stationed at an observation outpost in southern Dhayra this past Tuesday.
Although Israel refutes claims of purposely targeting the UN peacekeepers, it argues that Hezbollah has established strongholds in close proximity to UNIFIL positions.
Past strikes on UNIFIL locations have faced international rebuke.
Cross-border hostilities escalated considerably, with Israel employing airstrikes across southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern neighborhoods, alongside deploying ground operations against Hezbollah.
The military’s statements indicated that they targeted weapons production facilities and Hezbollah’s intelligence center in Beirut along with various sites near the Jousieh border crossing in the northern Bekaa Valley.
UNIFIL reported three instances this week where unidentified fire impacted their locations, claiming Hezbollah utilized the crossing—which falls under Syrian military control—to funnel arms into Lebanon.
The Lebanese administration indicated that these assaults rendered the crossing inoperative, leaving only the northern route to Syria accessible, where the UN refugee agency noted around 430,000 individuals have sought refuge since the initiation of Israel’s offensive.
“The assaults on border crossings pose significant issues,” mentioned UNHCR spokesperson Rula Amin. “They obstruct the escape route for those fleeing the conflict.”
“We’re at a critical juncture where dialogue is essential,” asserted Blinken, emphasizing the importance of ensuring both populations on either side of the border can safely return to their homes.
“There’s a palpable urgency in achieving a diplomatic resolution and ensuring the full application of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which is crucial for genuine security along the Israel-Lebanon border,” he further elaborated from London.
Despite facing heavy losses, including the death of its leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah continues its offensive. In recent days, Israel reported ten of its soldiers were also killed.
The Israeli military announced the discovery of an underground command post near the border and a site nestled in wooded areas housing Kornet anti-tank missiles, launchers, and various firearms.
The United States remains hopeful that the recent death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, deemed a key orchestrator of the October 7 attacks, might catalyze a ceasefire, a sentiment echoed by several high-ranking Israeli military officials.
Two sources from Egyptian security revealed that a delegation led by the Israeli Mossad chief has been apprised by Egyptian officials regarding their negotiations with Hamas concerning the terms for a potential ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza.
Israel has indicated that Mossad’s Director David Barnea was scheduled to meet with CIA Director William Burns and the Qatari Prime Minister in Doha on the upcoming Sunday.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, following discussions with Blinken in London, stated that “ethnic cleansing” is underway in northern Gaza, an accusation rejected by Israel, which claims its actions are aimed at separating civilians from Hamas operatives and facilitating their relocation to safer regions.
Safadi further asserted, “We find ourselves in a moment where no justification exists for continuing the warfare. It’s time for the guns to fall silent.”
Stay tuned for the latest updates from the Middle East.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
