Israeli shelling kills journalist and wounds six in southern Lebanon

Al Jazeera says car carrying its news staff was hit amid clashes along the border

Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah, pictured in Maras, Turkey, in February, was killed in southern Lebanon on Friday. AP

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One journalist was killed and six were wounded in southern Lebanon while covering Israeli shelling on Friday evening.

“We are deeply saddened to learn that our videographer, Issam Abdallah, has been killed,” Reuters said.

“We are urgently seeking more information, working with authorities in the region and supporting Issam’s family and colleagues."

Reuters confirmed that two other journalists - Thaier Al-Sudani and Maher Nazeh - had been injured.

Al Jazeera said two of its reporters were among the wounded amid "Israeli bombing on their vehicle". They named them as Carmen Joukhadar and Elie Brakhya.

Photographer Christina Assi and video journalist Dylan Collins were also injured, AFP said.

Lebanon's caretaker Information Minister had earlier reported that at least five journalists had been wounded.

“Israel added a new crime to its many crimes by targeting media professionals in the town of Alma Al Shaab, where the media once again paid the price for its persistent crimes,” Ziad Makary said on X, formerly Twitter.

“The media's voice is stronger than the enemy's terrorism.”

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati described the attacks on journalists as a “new disgrace” in Israeli's record of “murder and aggression”.

The shelling came after Palestinian militants tried to breach the Alma Al Shaab border fence into Israel, prompting retaliation from Israel.

Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah denied involvement in the border breach. The powerful group often provides cover for Palestinian militants to launch attacks from southern Lebanon.

Both Hezbollah and the Israeli army reported an explosion at the border, which resulted in minor damage to the border fence.

A well-placed Lebanese army source confirmed to The National that a watchtower at a military intelligence observation point near Dhayra had been hit by Israeli artillery fire.

“There are continuing clashes along the border,” he said.

Hezbollah said that it had launched an attack on four Israeli positions and claimed it had caused casualties in the Israeli army.