A Lebanese journalist sustained injuries when an Israeli missile struck his home while he was conducting a live TV interview. Fadi Boudaya, the editor-in-chief of Miraya International Network, was seen losing his balance and thrown off-screen the moment the missile hit his home.
The footage, now viral on social media, showed Boudaya mid-sentence, which quickly turned into a scream when the explosion occurred. Fortunately, he sustained only minor injuries in the incident.
WINDOWS AND WALLS SHATTER AND COLLAPSE ON A JOURNALIST, NEARLY KILLING HIM
Fadi Boudia,editor of the Maraya International News Network,nearly dies live as IDF missiles attack his home in Beqaa,eastern ????????,just as he begins a Skype interview for a live program in the video above. pic.twitter.com/ucJls46IGC— Malcolm X (@malcolmx653459) September 23, 2024
The journalist, reportedly considered sympathetic towards Hezbollah, later reassured his followers through X. “Thank you to everyone who called, texted, checked in and to everyone who felt any emotion,” he wrote. “Thank God, I am fine, thanks to God and His blessings upon us, and we return to continue our media duty in support of the resistance. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
شكراً لكل من اتصل وراسل واطمأنّ، وشكراً لكل من شعر بأية عاطفة.
الحمدلله انا بخير بفضل الله ونعمته علينا، ونعود لمتابعة واجبنا الإعلامي سنداً للمقاومة.
شكراً لكم من القلب— Fadi Boudaya (@Fadi_Boudaya) September 24, 2024
The attack on Fadi Boudaya comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group. Since the Gaza war erupted last October, both sides have been involved in intense cross-border conflict, with recent hostilities reaching new heights.
The situation worsened following a cyber attack on Hezbollah members, during which their communication devices – pagers and walkie-talkies – were targeted. Hezbollah accused Israel of orchestrating the attacks.
On Monday, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon killed more than 550 people, including 50 children. That evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video message, urging Lebanese citizens to evacuate their homes. “Once the operation is finished, they can return to their homes,” he said.
On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes in Beirut killed Ibrahim Qubaisi, the head of Hezbollah’s missile division. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Qubaisi’s death, saying he was a key figure in Hezbollah’s missile operations. Alongside Qubaisi, at least two other high-ranking commanders were reportedly killed.
The strikes, targeting the Dahiyeh suburb, came amid intense cross-border clashes, with Hezbollah firing over 300 rockets at northern Israeli cities.