Yesterday, April 22, in an airstrike in A-Tiri (a “Yellow Zone” under IDF control), two Hezbollah operatives were eliminated: Nabil Bazzi, the village mukhtar, and Mohammad Al-Hourani. Alongside them, two journalists from the newspaper Al-Akhbar were present; one of them, Amal Khalil, who is affiliated with Hezbollah, was killed.
Contrary to its portrayal as an independent media outlet, Al-Akhbar serves as a mouthpiece for Hezbollah and functions as part of its media apparatus. Its editor, Ibrahim Al-Amin, is closely associated with and serves as an advisor to senior Hezbollah figures.
The IDF had called on the civilian population in these areas to evacuate at the beginning of the war, as part of its obligation under international law to provide effective warning. Indeed, most residents complied with these warnings.
What were “civilians” doing in a restricted Yellow Zone? Are they truly innocent? Anyone present in a Yellow Zone in close proximity to Hezbollah operatives is at risk of being struck by the IDF. Moreover, it is well understood that “journalists” operating within Hezbollah’s media apparatus are not engaged solely in traditional journalism, but at times also assist Hezbollah’s activities.
In conclusion, the fatalities were not “innocent civilians.” They were Hezbollah operatives targeted due to their activity and presence at the site. The journalists who were present alongside them were not random bystanders, but chose to be in a restricted area near Hezbollah operatives—fully aware of the risks involved.
