SUNTV Global Channel | March 28, 2026
At least three journalists and nine paramedics were killed on Saturday in southern Lebanon following a series of Israeli airstrikes, marking a sharp escalation in the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran regional conflict.
The slain journalists include Fatima Ftouni and her brother, Mohammed Ftouni, both from Al Mayadeen, and Ali Shuaib of Al-Manar. Their press vehicle on Jezzine Road was struck by four precision missiles, leaving no chance of survival. Several other journalists and emergency responders were injured in the attacks.
While the Israeli military claimed that Ali Shuaib had ties to Hezbollah intelligence, his employer, Al-Manar, rejected the allegation, asserting he was a veteran correspondent covering military operations. Al Mayadeen also condemned the strikes, emphasizing that the victims were civilians performing their professional duties.
Lebanese authorities denounced the attacks. President Joseph Aoun called the killings a “blatant crime” against journalists, while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described it as a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that the strikes have disrupted healthcare services across southern Lebanon. Four hospitals and 51 primary healthcare centres have shut down, while others are barely functioning. The attacks on health workers come on top of previous violence, including five separate strikes that killed eight paramedics and wounded seven others in the region.
Since March 2, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reports over 1,142 deaths and more than 3,300 injuries due to the conflict. Israeli ground forces are reportedly advancing south toward the Litani River, while Hezbollah claims dozens of retaliatory operations against Israeli troops.
Journalists on the ground remain defiant. Al Jazeera correspondent Obaida Hitto noted that those who stayed in southern Lebanon are taking “a very deadly gamble” amid ongoing bombardments.
Press freedom organisations highlight that attacks on journalists are part of a growing global trend. The Committee to Protect Journalists recorded 129 journalist deaths worldwide in 2025—the highest in over 30 years—with Israel responsible for nearly two-thirds of the fatalities.
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