Lebanon strike kills reporter, injures photographer

A missile strike in southern Lebanon killed veteran reporter Amal Khalil and left 21-year-old photojournalist Zeinab Faraj trapped under rubble. The attack occurred on 22 April, shortly after Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire. Both women were documenting the aftermath of a month of airstrikes in the village of al-Tiri. Faraj survived the impact, which threw her to the ground and pinned her beneath debris.

Khalil, 42, had contacted Faraj after seeing her work on social media. The pair frequently worked together on assignments. They joined two other men, municipal official Ali Nabil Bazzi and Mohammed Hourani, who they had met earlier that day at a hospital in Tebnine. The group drove to al-Tiri to film the damaged area. Faraj, who grew up in the nearby city of Bint Jbeil, noted that the region held deep personal significance for her.

The first missile struck the car carrying Bazzi and Hourani, setting it on fire. Khalil and Faraj exited their vehicle to assess the damage. Drones then circled low overhead. The women made multiple calls to emergency services, which promised rescue but could not immediately reach them due to blocked roads. A paramedic advised them to drive away, but a second missile struck their car as they attempted to move. The impact threw both women backward.

Khalil sustained visible injuries to her face, hand, and leg. The pair took shelter in a nearby house. Faraj sent a message to her sister stating there was no hope left before her phone died. While inside, Faraj felt detached and tired. A drone descended close to her, causing her to return inside. A subsequent missile strike caused the building to collapse, burying Faraj under heavy rubble. She described the weight as crushing and focused solely on breathing.

Paramedics reached the scene and extracted Faraj as drones continued to circle. A stun grenade dropped by a drone sounded as they loaded her into an ambulance. Faraj was taken to a hospital where she eventually learned of Khalil’s death. Khalil is believed to have died approximately one hour before the paramedics could return to the area after rescuing Faraj.

The Israeli military stated the attack targeted saboteurs violating the ceasefire. Human rights groups described the incident as a war crime. Military officials had previously labeled Khalil’s media work as "terrorist media" and she had received death threats from Israeli phone numbers. The military received repeated messages urging them to allow a rescue operation while the women were trapped in the building.

Faraj is now preparing to return to university while managing physical and psychological symptoms. She walks with a limp and has visible injuries to her hand and face. She reports waking at night screaming and feeling distressed by the sound of drones. Faraj says the image of Hourani lying on the ground with his eyes open remains a persistent memory.