Hezbollah TV Reporter Injured in Israeli Drone Strike in Southern Lebanon

An Israeli drone strike in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon on Sunday injured Ali Shebib, a reporter for Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV, and a cameraman. Dramatic footage circulating online shows Shebib preparing to report when the strike occurred, interrupting the broadcast. Shebib and the cameraman, identified as Mohammed Barjawi by the newspaper Al-Akhbar, sustained minor injuries and were reported to be in stable condition after being examined at a local hospital. Al-Manar stated they are expected to return to work soon.

Al-Akhbar, also aligned with Hezbollah, reported that the strike was part of a series of Israeli aerial attacks on Nabatieh that killed several civilians. The newspaper accused Israel of targeting media personnel to silence them and prevent reporting on civilian casualties. It noted this was not the first time Al-Manar crews had been attacked, recalling the deaths of senior journalist Ali Shoaib and others in previous Israeli strikes.

Shebib's injury comes months after Israel reportedly killed Ali Shoaib, a senior Al-Manar journalist, in March. At the time, the IDF stated Shoaib was a member of Hezbollah's Radwan Force operating under journalistic cover, alleging he consistently exposed IDF positions and communicated with other operatives.

Shebib had reportedly become a prominent figure on Al-Manar following Shoaib's death, covering the Nabatieh region extensively. Reports suggest a close relationship between Shebib and Shoaib. The incident occurs amid recent escalation along the Lebanese border, with Hezbollah launching explosive drones and the IDF conducting retaliatory airstrikes against Hezbollah targets, killing several operatives.