Early Friday morning in Hasbaya, southeastern Lebanon, an Israeli airstrike killed three Lebanese journalists sheltering in a media compound, where reporters from multiple outlets had sought refuge, according to local officials and eyewitness accounts.
The airstrike struck a guesthouse used by journalists from multiple media organizations, where vehicles in the courtyard were clearly marked as “press.” The deceased were identified as Ghassan Najjar and Mohamed Reda of Al Mayadeen TV, alongside Wissam Qassem from Al-Manar TV.
Lebanon’s Information Minister, Ziad Makary, condemned the attack as a “war crime,” accusing Israel of intentional targeting. Journalists from Lebanon, including those displaced from Marj’youn, had sought refuge in Hasbaya due to escalating dangers near the border.
A journalist from MTV Lebanon stated, “The airstrike was carried out on purpose. Everyone knew we were there. All the cars were labelled as press and TV. There wasn’t even a warning given to us.”
Lebanese health authorities report a mounting death toll, with more than 2,600 people in Lebanon killed as Israeli forces expand operations, allegedly in retaliation for Hezbollah’s cross-border attacks following an October 8 clash. Since then, Israeli bombardments have damaged over 3,600 buildings across Lebanon. Lebanese officials argue that Israel’s intensifying airstrikes aim to silence coverage from areas affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Lebanon’s southern regions.
