Journalists in Lebanon were 'explicitly targeted' in deadly border strike

An analysis of video evidence and witness testimonies from the scene of strikes that killed one journalist and injured six others in south Lebanon this month found that the journalists were “explicitly targeted,” the watchdog group Reporters Without Borders said in a statement.

Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah was killed near the village of Alma al-Shaab while covering an exchange of fire along the border between Israeli troops and members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

“Two strikes in the same place in such a short space of time ... from the same direction, clearly indicate precise targeting,” the statement said.

The analysis found that journalists had been standing and filming on a hillside for more than an hour until the strikes hit about 37 to 38 seconds apart, both coming from the east — the direction of the Israeli border. The first killed Abdallah; the second hit a vehicle belonging to an Al-Jazeera team, injuring journalists standing next to it, the statement said. It noted that the journalists were wearing helmets and vests marked “press,” and the car was marked “press” on the roof.

It added that witnesses reported seeing an Israeli helicopter fly over the scene shortly before the strikes. The report did not specifically say Israel was responsible for the fire, saying the investigation was ongoing.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond Sunday to an AP request for comment on the analysis.

Military spokesperson Lt. Col. Richard Hecht previously said Israel was “looking into” the episode. He did not confirm whether the journalists had been hit by Israeli shelling.