Lebanon Says 3 Journalists Killed In Israeli Airstrike, Several Others Hurt

Three journalists were killed in southern Lebanon by an Israeli airstrike Friday - and a Lebanese official and the news outlets accused Israel of war crimes, according to reports.

The three had been staying at a guesthouse in Hasbaya when it was hit around 3 a.m. local time.

Cars marked "PRESS" in the area were covered in dust and debris after the strike, the Associated Press reported.

Camera operator Ghassan Najar and broadcast technician Mohammed Ride of the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV, and camera operator Wissam Qassin of Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV were killed, the AP reported.

Several others were wounded.

"These were just journalists that were sleeping in bed after long days of covering the conflict," said Imran Khan, a senior correspondent for Al Jazeera English who was in the building, the Associated Press reported.

He said he was not hurt.

Lebanon's Information Minister Ziad Makary said the journalists were killed while reporting on what he called Israel's crimes.

"This is an assassination, after monitoring and tracking, with premeditation and planning, as there were 18 journalists present at the location representing seven media institutions," he said.

Ghassan bin Jiddo, Al-Mayadeen's director, claimed Israel targeted the guesthouse because the journalists were covering its military operations in Lebanon.

"We hold the occupation fully responsible for this war crime, in which journalist crews, including the Al Mayadeen team, were targeted," he said, Al Jazeera reported.

Israel has been fighting Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon since the militant group began firing rockets into Israel the day after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas invasion.