The IDF said Saturday it carried out a targeted strike on a vehicle carrying journalists near the southern Lebanese town of Jezzine, killing Ali Hassan Shaib, whom it identified as a Hezbollah Radwan Force terrorist.
According to the IDF, Shaib operated for years under the guise of a journalist for the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar network while working within the group’s intelligence unit.
IDF kills Hezbollah reporter Ali Shoeib in Lebanon strike, says he was Radwan Force member
(Video: IDF)
The IDF said Shaib “systematically” exposed the locations of IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon and along the border and maintained continuous contact with other terrorists in the Radwan Force and across Hezbollah.
It said he also engaged in incitement against IDF troops and civilians in Israel and used his role as a journalist to disseminate Hezbollah propaganda.
“Even during Operation Roaring Lion, Shaib continued his activities and reported on the locations of IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon,” the military said.
Two others were killed in the strike, according to Lebanese media: Al-Mayadeen correspondent Fatima Fattouni and her brother, Mohammad Fattouni, a press photographer.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strike, saying those killed were civilians carrying out their professional duties and calling it a violation of international law. He urged international bodies to act to halt strikes in Lebanon.
Journalists in the coastal city of Tyre staged a protest against attacks on media workers in Lebanon.
Shaib, also known as Haj Ali, was widely seen as a key Hezbollah voice in southern Lebanon, providing near real-time reports on developments along the Lebanese side of the border during the war. He reported on strikes against positions in Israel, IDF operations in southern Lebanon and targeted killings in towns across the region.
He also maintained an active presence on social media, including a Telegram account with about 53,000 followers. His account on X, formerly Twitter, was suspended for violating platform rules, and he repeatedly opened new accounts after suspensions.
In 2024, he published a video threatening Margaliot local council head Eitan Davidi, appearing alongside weapons aimed at Davidi’s home.
Shaib in Israeli territory before October 7
(מתוך טוויטר)
In an October 2023 interview, Shaib said media in Israel had mentioned him by name and threatened to target him. “They tell me, ‘your turn is coming,’ but I don’t care,” he said. “I am only doing my professional duty.”
Before the war, he was documented near the border alongside IDF soldiers and shared footage online showing troops in the Mount Dov area, including identifying a brigade commander.