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Two RT Journalists Injured in Israeli Airstrike in Lebanon

Published 19 March 2026

Two journalists working for the Russian state media outlet RT were injured by shrapnel from an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on Thursday, in an incident captured on video as they reported from the scene.

Steven Sweeney, a British correspondent, and cameraman Ali Rida were filming near the Al-Qasmiya Bridge in Mazraat Bsaileh, close to the Litani River crossing, when a missile exploded just behind them around 12:30 UTC. Footage released by RT shows Sweeney ducking for cover moments before the blast, with plumes of smoke rising nearby. Both men were wearing bulletproof vests marked "PRESS" and were in a vehicle identified as press transport. They sustained shrapnel wounds and were taken to a local hospital, where Sweeney received treatment to remove fragments from his right arm. RT reported that both remained conscious and were stable following medical care.

The strike occurred amid Israel's ongoing military operations in southern Lebanon, which the Israeli Defense Forces described as targeting Litani River crossings used by Hezbollah militants for transporting weapons and personnel. In a statement, the IDF said it had issued explicit public warnings prior to the...

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