South Lebanon (QNN)- Lebanese civil defense teams confirmed the death of journalist Amal Khalil after an Israeli airstrike targeted her inside a residential house in the village of Al-Tayri in southern Lebanon. Rescue teams recovered her body from under the rubble after hours of search operations carried out under difficult and dangerous conditions.
The Lebanese Civil Defense in southern Lebanon announced that Khalil was killed by the Israeli strike that targeted the house where she had taken shelter while reporting on the ground. Teams from the Lebanese Army and the Red Cross joined the search and rescue operation at the site.
Rescue crews worked through the day to reach the collapsed building. They faced repeated threats by Israeli forces. After sustained efforts, teams located and retrieved Khalil’s body from the destroyed structure.
The Civil Defense said it carried out the operation in coordination with the Lebanese Army and the Red Cross, following standard emergency procedures despite the ongoing security threat.
Lebanon’s Minister of Information Paul Morcos condemned the killing and described the targeting of journalists as a “documented crime and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.” He said Lebanon will not remain silent and urged the international community and global organizations to intervene urgently to stop such attacks and prevent their repetition.
Morcos stressed that journalists operate in the field of civilian reporting and must not become targets during wars. He called for immediate international pressure to protect media workers in conflict zones, especially in southern Lebanon, where reporting has intensified amid ongoing Israeli strikes.
The Israeli crime followed a rapidly escalating series of attacks in Al-Tayri. Earlier in the day, Israeli forces struck a civilian vehicle near Khalil and her colleague Zeinab Faraj, killing two people. Both journalists took shelter near the scene as emergency teams attempted to reach them.
A second strike later hit the area again, followed by another airstrike that destroyed the house where Khalil had sought cover. The attack buried her under the rubble and left Faraj injured.
Rescue teams managed to evacuate Zeinab Faraj, who was transported to Tebnine Governmental Hospital. She underwent surgery for head injuries and remains in stable condition.
However, Amal Khalil remained trapped for hours as emergency crews struggled to reach her. Reports from the scene said Israeli fire and restricted access delayed rescue operations and forced teams to pause at several points during the search.
Lebanese authorities and humanitarian teams continued coordinated efforts despite the dangerous conditions. Civil Defense units, the Lebanese Army, and the Red Cross worked together to locate Khalil before eventually recovering her body.
Khalil had spent years covering Israeli attacks in border villages and documenting civilian suffering during repeated Israeli assaults.
Before the strike, Khalil had also reportedly received direct threats from an Israeli number threatening her to leave her location or face death, according to colleagues.
