Lebanon's prime minister has accused Israel of war crimes after Israeli air strikes killed one journalist and wounded another in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. The strike killed Amal Khalil, who worked for a Lebanese newspaper, and injured freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj. Officials in Lebanon say they were deliberately targeted as they sought shelter in a home after an initial air strike hit the vehicle in front of them, killing two men. The officials also accused the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of intentionally targeting a marked ambulance as it tried to reach the journalists in the village of Tayri. The IDF denied that it was preventing rescue teams from reaching the area and said it did not target journalists. Journalist Khalil, 43, who worked for Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, and Faraj, a freelance photographer, were travelling together. The two men who died have not been named by officials. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said: Targeting journalists, obstructing access to them by relief teams, and even targeting their locations again after these teams arrive constitutes described war crimes. He accused Israel of repeatedly targeting media workers in southern Lebanon in what he described as an established approach and offered condolences to Khalil's family, stating that Lebanon would pursue the crimes before the competent international forums. In a statement, the IDF said it does not target journalists and acts to mitigate harm to them while maintaining the safety and security of its troops. The IDF claimed to have identified two vehicles that had departed from a military structure used by Hezbollah and stated that one of the vehicles had approached Israeli troops in a manner that was an immediate threat after crossing a forward defence line, violating a ceasefire. The Lebanese health ministry indicated that the IDF pursued Khalil and Faraj, who had taken refuge from the first raid in a nearby house, targeting the house where they had sought shelter. When a Lebanese Red Cross ambulance arrived to treat the wounded, Israeli forces reportedly directed a stun grenade and gunfire toward it, preventing it from reaching the journalists. This action was described by the health ministry as a blatant violation, emphasizing the obstruction of rescue efforts for a citizen known for her civic media activism. The executive director of Reporters Without Borders expressed concern over the incident, indicating that the IDF had received messages requesting their cooperation in allowing ambulances access to Khalil. Faraj was eventually evacuated along with two of the deceased, while Khalil's body was later recovered. On Thursday morning, journalists gathered at Martyrs Square in Beirut to remember her in silence, with Al-Akhbar featuring a tribute article celebrating Khalil's dedication to her humanitarian and professional duties.