‘Deliberate, repeated pattern targeting media workers’: Lebanon PM accuses Israel of ‘war crime’ over journalist’s death

Salam added that Lebanon would pursue accountability for these crimes before relevant international forums.

إن استهداف الصحافيين، وعرقلة وصول الفرق الإغاثية اليهم، بل واستهداف مواقعهم مجدداً بعد وصول هذه الفرق، يشكّل جرائم حرب موصوفة.
لم يعد استهداف اسرائيل للإعلاميين في الجنوب أثناء قيامهم بعملهم المهني حوادث منفردة، بل صار نهجاً مثبتا ندينه ونرفضه، كما تدينه وترفضه كل القوانين…

— Nawaf Salam نواف سلام (@nawafsalam) April 22, 2026

He also offered his condolences to the family of slain journalist Amal Khalil, her colleagues, friends, and the wider Lebanese media community, while wishing journalist Zeinab Faraj a speedy recovery.

Khalil was a respected reporter with Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar who died after a series of Israeli strikes near the southern village where she had been reporting on cross-border conflicts.

Khalil was reportedly traveling with freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj when their convoy came under attack. After the initial strike, Khalil sought shelter in a nearby house, which was then hit in a second strike. Rescue teams attempting to reach her were allegedly fired upon, delaying access for hours. Faraj survived with injuries.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Israel of “deliberately and systematically targeting journalists” to conceal the reality of its military operations in Lebanon.

Khalil’s death is the ninth killing of a journalist in Lebanon this year, intensifying international concerns over the rising toll on the press. Advocacy groups, including the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, have demanded an independent investigation.

Israel has denied deliberately targeting journalists, saying the incident is under review. The Israeli military said that it had struck vehicles it believed were linked to Hezbollah, though it provided no immediate evidence.

Khalil had previously disclosed receiving threats from an unidentified Israeli phone number warning her to leave southern Lebanon or face death, according to The Guardian reports.