Journalist killed, 6 injured in Lebanon

Reuter’s video journalist has been killed in southern Lebanon on Friday following a missile fired from the direction of Israel.

Six other journalists were also injured in the missiles strike.

The group of journalists, including those from Al Jazeera and Agence France-Presse, were working near Alma al-Shaab, close to the Israel border, where the Israeli military and Lebanese militia Hezbollah have been in border clashes.

Reuters in a statement said Issam Abdallah was killed while providing a live video signal for broadcasters. The camera was pointed at a hillside when a loud explosion shook the camera, filling the air with smoke, and screams were heard.

“We are deeply saddened to learn that our videographer, Issam Abdallah, has been killed. We are urgently seeking more information, working with authorities in the region, and supporting Issam’s family and colleagues,” Reuters said.

According to the media outfit, two other Reuters journalists, Thaer Al-Sudani and Maher Nazeh, were wounded in the incident and have released from a hospital.

Al Jazeera staff injured in blast

Similarly, Al Jazeera said two of its journalists were also wounded in the incident.

“The broadcast vehicle was bombed and completely burned despite the presence of our team close to/side by side with the rest of the international media crews in an agreed-upon location,” Al Jazeera said in a statement.

The Israel Defense Forces did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel’s U.N. envoy, Gilad Erdan, said in a briefing on Friday: “Obviously, we would never want to hit or kill or shoot any journalist that is doing its job. But you know, we’re in a state of war, things might happen.” He added that the country would investigate.

While other news outlets, including the Associated Press and Al Jazeera, said the shells were Israeli, Reuters could not establish whether the missiles had actually been fired by Israel.

Agence France-Presse said two of its journalists were wounded.