Hezbollah Accuses Israel of Targeting Media After Al-Manar Presenter Killed

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah said on Monday that an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon killed Ali Nour Al-Din, a television presenter affiliated with the group’s Al-Manar television station. In a statement, Hezbollah said the killing signaled “the danger of Israel’s extended escalations to include the media community,” warning that journalists and media workers were increasingly being targeted amid ongoing hostilities. The Israeli military said later on Monday that Al-Din was a Hezbollah militant, alleging that he had recently been involved in efforts to rehabilitate the group’s artillery capabilities in southern Lebanon. Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire in 2024, ending more than a year of intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The conflict culminated in a series of Israeli strikes that significantly weakened the Iran-backed group. Since the ceasefire took effect, both sides have accused each other of repeated violations. Lebanon has come under growing pressure from the United States and Israel to disarm Hezbollah. The group’s leadership has warned that Israel may significantly escalate military operations across the country to compel the Lebanese government to move more quickly to dismantle Hezbollah’s weapons arsenal.