Israel says strikes hitting journalists in Lebanon occurred in 'active combat zone'

Israel's army said Friday the October strikes in Lebanon that killed one journalist and wounded six others, including two from AFP, occurred in an "active combat zone" and were under review.

A group of seven journalists from Reuters, Al Jazeera and AFP were hit by two strikes in quick succession on October 13 as they were filming clashes between the Israeli army and armed groups in southern Lebanon.

An AFP investigation published on Thursday found the strikes were deliberate and targeted, and the type of tank shell that struck the journalists was only used by the Israeli army.

Issam Abdallah, a 37-year-old journalist for the Reuters news agency, was killed instantly by the first strike.

The other six were all wounded. AFP photographer Christina Assi, 28, later had a leg amputated and is still in hospital.

The Israeli army, without directly addressing the casualties, said the incident occurred at a time when Hezbollah had launched an attack on multiple targets within Israel along the border with Lebanon.

"One incident involved the firing of an anti-tank missile, which struck the border fence near the village Hanita," the army said in a statement, adding the incident triggered concerns of cross-border infiltration into Israel.

"In response, the IDF (Israeli army) used artillery and tank fire to prevent the infiltration. The IDF is aware of the claim that journalists who were in the area were killed.

"The area is an active combat zone, where active fire takes place, and being in this area is dangerous. The incident is currently under review," the military statement said.

Human Rights Watch said the strikes were "apparently deliberate attacks on civilians, which is a war crime" and which "should be prosecuted or may be prosecuted".

Amnesty International said the incident was "likely a direct attack on civilians that must be investigated as a war crime".

It was not possible to identify precisely which tank fired the shots, but the AFP investigation found a high degree of certainty that it came from a military position near the Israeli village of Jordeikh.

Satellite imagery shows Israeli tanks were operating from that position at the time.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a full investigation into the incident.

"My understanding is that Israel has initiated such an investigation and it will be important to see that investigation come to a conclusion and to see the results," he said on Thursday after AFP released its special investigative report on the incident.