Israel uses U.S.-made munitions in airstrike

(MENAFN) A Guardian investigation has confirmed that Israel used U.S.-made munitions in an airstrike on October 25, 2023, in southern Lebanon, killing three journalists and injuring three others. Legal experts have raised concerns that this attack could qualify as a war crime.

At 3:19 a.m. on that day, an Israeli aircraft dropped two bombs on a chalet in Hasbaya, where journalists Ghassan Najjar, Mohammed Reda, and Wissam Qassem were staying. The attack, which occurred in an area with no ongoing combat, killed the journalists while they slept and injured three other journalists from nearby media outlets.

The investigation found that the weapons used included a 500-pound MK-80-series bomb, guided by a U.S. JDAM, indicating that Israel deliberately targeted the journalists' location. Surveillance equipment was found nearby, suggesting the journalists were monitored for at least 23 days before the strike. Experts confirmed the use of precision-guided munitions, which further supports the claim of a targeted attack.

The probe also pointed out a troubling pattern of Israeli strikes on journalists, noting that since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed at least six journalists in Lebanon and 122 in Gaza and the West Bank. UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan stated that these attacks are part of an apparent strategy to suppress critical reporting on the conflict and prevent the documentation of potential war crimes. The attacks in southern Lebanon have made media workers in the region fearful of where they can safely report from.

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