Rights groups have accused Israel of committing war crimes in the killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil during an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon in April. Khalil, a correspondent for the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, died while covering hostilities between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group near the border village of al-Tiri. Another journalist, Zeinab Faraj, was injured in the same series of strikes.

At a joint press conference in Beirut, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Lebanese advocacy group Legal Agenda, and the Union of Journalists in Lebanon presented findings based on photographs, videos, satellite imagery, eyewitness accounts, and messages exchanged during the attack. They stated that Israel either knew or should have known Khalil and Faraj were civilians and journalists and maintained that the strikes targeted them directly, despite being aware of their presence. The groups also reported that Israeli forces obstructed Lebanese Red Cross paramedics from reaching Khalil for hours while she lay critically wounded under rubble, an action they say constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law.

According to the rights organizations, the attack unfolded in three stages: an initial strike hit two men who were with the journalists and were identified by Israeli officials as Hezbollah operatives, a second strike struck the journalists’ vehicle after they sought shelter, and a third struck the building where they took refuge. Israeli drones were reportedly observed flying low over the area throughout, suggesting Israeli military awareness of those present.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated their own preliminary investigation found that the strikes targeted Hezbollah members, specifically naming two men killed alongside Khalil as affiliated with the militant group, including a local Hezbollah-backed official. The IDF denied intentionally targeting journalists and said it respects press freedom. It also indicated its investigation remains ongoing and will be submitted to its legal branch upon completion. However, the military did not provide an explanation for follow-up strikes after the initial targets were reportedly neutralized.

Human Rights Watch’s Lebanon researcher Ramzi Kaiss emphasized that the evidence contradicts Israel’s statement, underscoring a pattern of repeated attacks on journalists by Israeli forces. Amnesty International's researcher Sahar Mandour described the attacks as "direct attacks on civilians" and dismissed Israeli military designations of the area as a no-go zone as irrelevant to international civilian protections.

Khalil, 42, who reported extensively from southern Lebanon despite the dangers, was declared dead in the evening hours from cardiac arrest caused by head trauma and severe bleeding. Her brother called on the Lebanese government to pursue legal action against Israel. Faraj, who survived but remains injured, expressed hope that their case would help prevent similar attacks on journalists in the future.

The violence between Israel and Hezbollah has resulted in over 4,300 deaths and more than 12,000 injuries in Lebanon since early March, according to Lebanese health officials. Israel reports casualties including at least 39 soldiers and two civilians. International calls have also emerged for governments supplying military aid to Israel to reconsider their support amid allegations of war crimes. The Lebanese prime minister and other international watchdogs have previously suggested that Israel’s actions in the conflict may constitute violations of international law.