Beirut – In a tragic incident early Friday, an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of three Lebanese journalists and left three others injured, according to Lebanese medical and military sources. The attack occurred when an Israeli drone targeted a small hotel in Hasbaya, firing two air-to-ground missiles at the journalists' residence on the western edge of the town, located along the eastern bank of the Hasbani River. Eyewitness accounts reveal that the strike caused devastating destruction, obliterating four hotel apartments and severely damaging five neighboring ones.
Additionally, seven vehicles belonging to the journalists were destroyed in the attack. Mohammad Farhat, a correspondent for al-Jadeed TV who narrowly escaped injury, recounted the harrowing experience: “We were sleeping when we heard the sound of a drone flying over the hotel. Within a moment, it fired its first missile at one of the apartments, followed by a second missile at neighboring apartments. The apartments were destroyed, and rubble fell on the sleeping journalists.”
The three journalists killed in the strike were identified as Ghassan Najjar and Mohammad Reda from Al-Mayadeen, along with Wissam Qassem from Al-Manar TV. The injured journalists include Zakaria Fadel, Hassan Hattit, and Ali Shaib. Emergency services, including the Lebanese Red Cross, worked diligently to recover the bodies and assist the wounded, amidst the chaos left in the wake of the strike. The targeted hotel, owned by Anwar Abu Ghaida, is situated in the Wadi al-Hasbani area, a known tourist zone devoid of military installations, as emphasized by the owner.
“There are no military sites or manifestations in this area or its surroundings at all. The aim of the raid, as it seems, is to intimidate journalists,” Abu Ghaida stated, expressing concerns over the safety of media personnel in the region. This incident marks a distressing continuation of violence against journalists in Lebanon, with multiple fatalities reported since the onset of renewed hostilities. The Israeli military has been conducting an air campaign in Lebanon, termed “Arrows of the North,” in response to rising tensions with Hezbollah, which has seen an uptick in military actions along the border since early October.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the attack, labeling it a "new chapter in war crimes" committed by Israel. In a statement released from his office, Mikati asserted, “This deliberate aggression indeed aims to terrorise the media to cover up the crimes and destruction being committed.” He affirmed that the incident would be documented as part of a series of files detailing Israeli actions, which would be submitted to international bodies for accountability. As the region grapples with ongoing conflict, the loss of these journalists underscores the perilous conditions faced by media professionals working in war-torn areas, as they strive to report the truth amidst chaos and violence.
