Israel Is Deliberately Targeting Lebanon’s Journalists

The list of civilians deliberately killed by Israel in Lebanon includes journalists trying to report on the invasion. The Union of Journalists in Lebanon is campaigning for justice while the US works to shield Israel from accountability.

By Douglas P. Marsh, Jacobin

The ongoing Israeli invasion of Lebanon has displaced more than a million people — around one-fifth of the country’s population. Between March 2 and June 19, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported 3,980 deaths resulting from the conflict.

Lebanese journalists have been in the firing line. Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have targeted at least eleven Lebanese journalists: Issam Abdallah, Farah Omar, Rabin Maamari, Wissam Qassem, Ghassan Najjar, Mohammad Rida, Zeinab Faraj, Amal Khalil, Mohamed Sherri, Ali Shoeib, Fatima Ftouni, and Mohamad Ftouni. All but Faraj, who narrowly survived with serious injuries, were killed.

According to a special report from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 2025 was the deadliest year on record for journalists, largely thanks to Israel’s track record in Palestine and Lebanon:

This is the second consecutive year-on-year record for press deaths. Israel was responsible for two-thirds of all press killings in both 2025 and 2024. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has committed more targeted killings of journalists than any other government’s military since CPJ began documentation in 1992.

The Union of Journalists in Lebanon (UJL) has been leading the pursuit of justice for the journalists killed or injured by Israel. The UJL has assisted with investigations into the killings, coordinating with survivors and witnesses, that produced six independent reports with a common conclusion: Israeli forces deliberately targeted journalists and committed war crimes. The union has also worked with regional and international organizations demanding the formation of an investigative committee to examine these cases.