Israeli strike on media car targets, kills 3 journalists in south Lebanon

Amman, March 28, 2026––On Saturday, an Israeli strike targeted a media car on Jezzine highway in southern Lebanon on Saturday, killing journalist Ali Shoaib of Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV, journalist Fatima Ftouni of pro-Hezbollah Al-Mayadeen TV, and her brother, freelance photojournalist Mohamad Ftouni.

According to Al-Mayadeen TV, the Lebanese journalists were reportedly en route to cover an assignment at the time of the attack. Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Situation Room  confirmed to CPJ it carried out the strike, saying that Shoaib (whom it referred to as Ali Hassan Shaib) was a member of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force.

The military told CPJ that Shoaib had been using his journalism as a cover while conducting intelligence-gathering activities and maintaining contact with Hezbollah fighters, but it did not provide evidence to support these claims. In a post on X, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee accused Shoaib of being a Hezbollah intelligence-gatherer.

CPJ emailed the IDF later that day requesting further information regarding the targeting and killing of all three journalists, including asking for evidence supporting the allegation that Shoaib was a combatant, and received a reply that the incident is being further investigated.

“CPJ is investigating this latest attack on journalists in Lebanon which has been an increasingly deadly zone for journalists, despite their status as civilians who must not be targeted,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah. “We have seen a disturbing pattern in this war and in the decades prior of Israel accusing journalists of being active combatants and terrorists without providing credible evidence. Journalists are not legitimate targets, regardless of the outlet they work for.”

Lebanon’s president Joseph Aoun and the Lebanese Minister of Information Paul Morcos denounced the killing of the journalists, with president Aoun calling the attack “a blatant crime that violates all the norms and treaties under which journalists enjoy international protection in wars.”

CPJ has documented the killing of at least four other journalists across the Middle East since the outbreak of the Iran war in late February. The targeting of the three journalists comes two days after the killing of the photojournalist Hussain Hamood, and 9 days after the killing of journalist Mohammed Sherri, who also worked for Al-Manar TV, in an Israeli strike in central Beirut. This latest attack brings the total number of press members killed in Lebanon since the Israel-Gaza war began to 11.