Missile Explosion Near TV Reporter During Live Broadcast from Lebanon
A British reporter from the Russian state broadcaster RT narrowly avoided serious injury when an Israeli missile struck just meters from his reporting position in Lebanon. The incident, captured on video, shows RT’s Lebanon bureau chief, Steve Sweeney, reacting as the missile exploded nearby.
RT, previously known as Russia Today, confirmed that Sweeney and his cameraman were treated in a hospital after the close call. The footage, which has been independently verified by organizations including the BBC, depicts Sweeney hitting the ground amid a shower of shrapnel, exclaiming in shock.
The region has been experiencing escalating Israeli air strikes and ground operations in southern Lebanon, part of ongoing tensions between Israel, the United States, and Iran and its allies in the Middle East.
Margarita Simonyan, RT’s editor-in-chief, provided details on social media platform X, stating, “Our correspondent Steve Sweeney has been wounded by an Israeli strike in Lebanon. He says an IDF plane fired upon the car carrying Steve and his cameraman, as they were crossing a bridge in the south of the country. Both men are conscious in hospital; doctors are diagnosing the extent of shrapnel damage.”
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In response to the viral video, the Israeli Defence Force issued a statement asserting, “In footage released in the past few hours, a journalist is seen at the Qasmiya crossing. An explicit warning had been issued regarding this area. The crossing was struck after sufficient time had passed since warnings. The crossing was again targeted today [Thursday] at 12:30. The IDF does not target civilians or journalists and operates in accordance with international law.”
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, RT has faced bans in multiple EU countries and Canada, often described as a propaganda outlet for the Russian government and its foreign policy.
The situation in Lebanon has been dire, with authorities reporting nearly 1,000 fatalities and one million people displaced as a result of Israeli air strikes and incursions initiated earlier this month following the escalation of hostilities with Hezbollah.
