Israeli forces trap Lebanese journalist under rubble for hours
Amal Khalil, a correspondent for Al-Akhbar, was left trapped for four hours as Israeli forces repeatedly fired on Lebanese Red Cross rescuers. The rescue was only completed after diplomatic intervention through UN peacekeepers.
Apr 22nd 2026 · Lebanon
Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon wounded two journalists and trapped one of them under rubble for hours while rescuers were repeatedly blocked from reaching her, Lebanon's health ministry, military officials and press advocacy groups said Wednesday. The strikes occurred near the town of al-Tiri, where Amal Khalil, a correspondent for the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, and freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj were covering developments. According to Lebanese authorities, the journalists ran into a house after an initial strike hit a vehicle in front of them, only for that building to be targeted as well. The Israeli military said it struck the vehicles after detecting them leaving what it described as a Hezbollah military structure, claiming they had crossed the forward defense line and posed an imminent threat. Rescuers from the Lebanese Red Cross successfully evacuated Faraj, who suffered a head wound, but were blocked from reaching Khalil when the Israeli military dropped a sound grenade and fired at the scene, Lebanese authorities said. The health ministry accused Israeli forces of preventing the completion of the humanitarian mission by firing at the ambulance. Rescuers were eventually able to return approximately four hours after the initial strike following coordination through the 2024 ceasefire mechanism and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam mobilized at the highest levels, contacting the Red Cross, UN peacekeepers, and the international committee overseeing the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The incident drew swift condemnation from press freedom organizations, with Reporters Without Borders and the Committee for the Protection of Journalists denouncing the attacks. The Union of Journalists in Lebanon accused Israel of "a flagrant violation" of international law and "an attempt to intimidate the press." The attack follows a pattern of violence against journalists in the region, including an Israeli airstrike in March that killed three journalists in southern Lebanon. Israel has seized a belt of territory along the border where its troops remain, saying it aims to create a buffer zone against Hezbollah attacks. More than 2,400 people have been killed in Lebanon since October 2023, according to Lebanese authorities.