On June 15, 2026, Hadi Hoteit, a Press TV correspondent in South Lebanon has been struck by an Israeli drone while reporting. Israeli forces deliberately targeted him in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Tibnit, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), despite the journalist wearing clearly marked press gear and traveling in a vehicle bearing press markings. The NNA reported that the Israeli military fired a shell that landed near the journalist. Hoteit sustained a shrapnel wound to his foot and was transported to Al-Najda Al-Shaabia Hospital in Nabatieh, where he underwent surgery and is receiving medical treatment.

The strike comes just one day after Iran and the United States finalized a memorandum of to end the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon.

Hadi statement on X in the evening:

"Hadi Hoteit | هادي حطيط @HadiHtt Israeli drones targeted me while I was clearly filming a report in an open space with all requirements (press signs on the car, vest and helmet with press signs, cellphones open and not doing anything else. I was told that Lebanese army was blocking the road somewhere, so i went there searching for where the Lebanese army is. I stopped at Arnoun-Yohmor-Kfartebnit roundabout because i didn't want to go further. I got outside my car, with my cameras in the cage and my microphone with PressTV logo. I was filming when the Israeli drones deliberately attacked where I was standing, and not my car. Two brave men were able to come to my rescue after about 15 to 20 minutes. I was trying to get away from my car as I was expecting they might retarget it. 6 shrapnels hit my body (1 right chest, 3 right leg, 2 left leg). I am better now. Targeting journalists is a war crime. I wish if any international legal side was able to benefit from this video to Glory to the resistance, our only hope in front of those zionist criminals" ** Journalists organizations statements:**

The Union of Journalists in Lebanon (UJL) strongly condemned the direct targeting of the journalist by Israel. “[...] This strike comes at a time of greatest need for journalistic documentation of Israeli crimes in South Lebanon. The Union considers the attack to be part of an ongoing Israeli policy of targeting journalists who bear witness to its crimes.”

The UJL called on the Lebanese government to take action to document Israeli crimes and to open judicial investigations into them.

IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, added: “We have consistently condemned the repeated threats and attacks by the Israeli army against journalists in Lebanon and Palestine, which are aimed at silencing their reporting. We stand in solidarity with our colleague, Hadi Hoteit, and wish him a swift and full recovery. The IFJ will continue to pursue justice and accountability to ensure that attacks on journalists do not go unpunished.”