Lebanese journalist killed in Israeli strikes; Iran seizes ships in Hormuz amid fragile ceasefire

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Wednesday killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and wounded a photographer accompanying her, according to a senior Lebanese military official and her employer, Al-Akhbar newspaper.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on Khalil’s death. Earlier, it said it had received reports that two journalists were injured in the strikes.

Khalil’s death brought Wednesday’s toll to five, making it the deadliest day since a 10-day ceasefire was announced on April 16 to halt hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Khalil, 43, and freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj were covering developments near the town of al-Tayri when an Israeli strike hit a vehicle in front of them. They took shelter in a nearby house, which was then also struck, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, a senior military official, and press advocates.

Rescuers managed to evacuate Faraj, who suffered a head injury, said Elsy Moufarrej, head of the Union of Journalists in Lebanon.

However, attempts to reach Khalil were initially blocked. According to Moufarrej and the military official, the Israeli military deployed a sound grenade near the site, preventing immediate access.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the incident, calling the targeting of journalists and obstruction of rescue efforts “war crimes.” “Lebanon will spare no effort in pursuing these crimes before relevant international bodies,” he said in a post on X.

The health ministry also accused Israeli forces of firing a sound grenade and live ammunition at an ambulance, hindering rescue operations. The Israeli military denied obstructing emergency teams.

Rescuers were able to return to the site about four hours later and, after several more hours of searching through the rubble, recovered Khalil’s body. Al-Akhbar confirmed her death on its website.

Iran seizes ships in Hormuz after ceasefire extended
Meanwhile, tensions escalated in the Gulf as Iran seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, tightening its grip on the strategic waterway a day after US President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of a ceasefire.

The status of the earlier two-week truce remained unclear. While Trump said the ceasefire would continue pending discussions over an Iranian proposal, Tehran has not confirmed any agreement and criticised the continued US naval blockade, which it considers an act of war.

Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, said a full ceasefire would only be meaningful if the blockade was lifted. He added that reopening the Strait of Hormuz — through which about a fifth of global oil supply once passed — was impossible under current conditions. “You did not achieve your goals through military aggression and you will not achieve them by bullying either,” Qalibaf said on social media.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it seized the vessels for alleged maritime violations and escorted them to Iranian shores. It marks the first such action since the conflict began in late February. The Guards also warned that any disruption to security in the strait would be treated as a “red line.”

Global oil markets reacted sharply, with Brent crude closing above $100 a barrel for the first time in two weeks. The continued disruption in the strait is straining global supply chains and pushing up energy costs.

The conflict, triggered by joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has left thousands dead across the Middle East, particularly in Iran and Lebanon, where Hezbollah joined the fighting.

At the same time, the White House said President Donald Trump is seeking a “unified” response from Iran’s leadership to US proposals aimed at ending the conflict.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump has not set a deadline for the ceasefire extension. In a separate interview, she said Iran must agree to hand over its enriched uranium as part of any deal to end hostilities.