IDF Acknowledges Editing Photo of Journalist, Draws Condemnation and Disinformation Concerns

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted an image on its official X account, claiming that Ali Hassan Shoeib, a journalist for Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar TV, operated as a member of the Hezbollah Radwan Force. The post asserted that Shoeib's "press vest" served as a "cover for terror." Following inquiries from Fox News, the IDF acknowledged that it had edited the photo of Shoeib to depict him in a military uniform.

Expert Raises Concerns Over "Fabricated Evidence"

Timothy Graham, a disinformation researcher at Queensland University of Technology, strongly criticized the IDF's actions.

He stated that the image constituted "fabricated evidence of combatant status applied to a real person, published on an official military platform to justify a killing."
Graham characterized this as "rationalisation of violence through deception." He further suggested that such social media posts represent a modern method of military propaganda, aiming for "first-impression dominance" where subsequent corrections may not negate the initial impact.

Journalist Deaths and Unsubstantiated Claims

Shoeib was among three Lebanese journalists killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Saturday. The strike occurred in the town of Jezzine and also resulted in the deaths of Fatima Ftouni and Mohamed Ftouni, a reporter and cameraman respectively, from Al Mayadeen channel. The IDF has not presented evidence supporting its claim about Shoeib's military role with Hezbollah, nor has it commented on the deaths of Fatima or Mohamed Ftouni.

International Condemnation and Persistent Post

Hezbollah issued a statement on Telegram denouncing the IDF's posts as false, characterizing the targeting of journalists as a "war crime." Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also condemned the strike, stating it violated international law, humanitarian law, and laws of war by targeting civilian media correspondents.

He described it as a "blatant crime" against protected journalists in armed conflicts.
As of the time of publication, the IDF's original post and edited photo remained on X without a community correction.