Beirut: Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Thursday that Israel's targeting of journalists constitutes 'war crimes,' condemning what he described as a systematic pattern of attacks in southern Lebanon. Salam emphasized that targeting journalists, obstructing rescue teams from reaching them, and striking the same locations again after their arrival constitute 'clear war crimes.'

According to Anadolu Agency, Salam added that attacks on journalists in southern Lebanon while they are carrying out their professional duties are no longer isolated incidents but have become a 'documented pattern' that violates international laws and norms. He asserted that Lebanon will spare no effort in pursuing these crimes before the relevant international bodies.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Israel of deliberately targeting journalists in an attempt to conceal its hostilities in Lebanon. A presidential statement highlighted that the deliberate Israeli targeting of media workers is intended 'to hide the reality of its aggressive acts against Lebanon.' Aoun described such actions as 'crimes against humanity' punishable under international law, and he called for intervention by the international community to put an end to them.

In a recent incident, Amal Khalil was killed Wednesday in an Israeli strike while on duty, as reported by the Red Cross. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that Israeli forces besieged Khalil and fellow journalist Zeinab Faraj, preventing the Red Cross and the Lebanese army from reaching them. Faraj was rescued with injuries, transferred to a hospital, and is reportedly in stable condition after undergoing head surgery. She also reportedly suffered a fractured leg.

The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 2,200 deaths and the displacement of more than 1 million people due to expanded Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2, following the start of the Iran war. Despite a 10-day US-mediated ceasefire agreed on April 16, attacks have continued.