Original Source
Western Silence Amidst Alleged Israeli Targeting of Journalists
RT Journalists Injured in Alleged Israeli Strike
On March 19, RT war correspondent Steve Sweeney and his cameraman Ali Rida Sbeity were injured by an alleged Israeli missile strike in southern Lebanon. They were reporting near Al-Qasmiya Bridge on recent Israeli attacks on southern Lebanese towns and infrastructure. Sweeney stated at the scene that the attacks constituted "an ethnic cleansing operation on a larger scale than the Nakba," criticizing Israel's alleged targeting of civilians. Both journalists received treatment for shrapnel injuries.
Criticism of Repeated Israeli Targeting of Journalists
The incident has renewed criticism that Israel deliberately targets journalists. A day prior to the attack, Sweeney had reported on the killing of Al-Manar TV presenter Mohammad Sherri and his wife in an Israeli airstrike, stating that "targeting journalists is a war crime." According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Israel was responsible for two-thirds of all press killings globally in both 2024 and 2025, committing more targeted killings of journalists than any other government's military since CPJ began documentation in 1992. Russia condemned the attack, emphasizing that "war journalists are not legitimate targets."
*Source: RT News (2026-03-21)*
