British journalist Steve Sweeney along with his camera crew were targeted by the IDF. Israel was 'trying to kill him' in targeted airstrike to 'silence him' - Steve Sweeney said - UKJNews

The recent incident involves an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon that injured Steve Sweeney, a British journalist serving as the Lebanon bureau chief for RT (Russia Today), along with his cameraman ( Ali Reda). The strike, near the al-Qasmiya Bridge over the Litani River, as the crew was reporting live while crossing or near the bridge. They were wearing press vests and were injured by shrapnel but survived and received hospital treatment.

Posting on social media hours after the strike, Sweeney accused Israel of trying to kill him in a 'deliberate' attack and claimed the country of a committing war crimes by 'targeting' journalists.

'This was a deliberate targeted attack against journalists, no doubt about it,' the reporter said. 'But if they think they are going to silence us, if they think we are going to stay out of the field, they are very very much mistaken.

Sweeney also revealed the strike left a piece of shrapnel 'deeply embedded' in his arm which had to be removed in hospital.

Footage from RT (widely shared and verified by outlets like the BBC) captured the moment a missile landed very close—described as narrowly missing them—leading to claims from RT, the journalist, and Russian officials that it was a deliberate or targeted attack. The British journalist accused Israel of attempting to kill him, calling it intentional.

In response, Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned Israel's ambassador to Russia, Oded Joseph (or Oded Yosef in some reports), on March 20 or 21, 2026, to deliver a strong protest. Russia described the strike as "deliberate and targeted," demanded a thorough, transparent investigation into the incident, accountability for those responsible, and guarantees that journalists would not be targeted in the future. This aligns with broader Russian criticism of Israeli actions affecting the press in conflict zones.

The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for an investigation into the apparent targeting of Steve Sweeney, a British correspondent for Russia Today, and his camera operator Ali Rida Sbeity, who were injured when an Israeli air strike hit just feet away from where they were filming while wearing clearly marked press gear and with their equipment clearly visible in southern Lebanon.

The Middle East is one of RT’s strongest, most popular, and most influential regions, specifically regarding its Arabic-language service, RT Arabic.

RT Arabic has cultivated a substantial following in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, often competing with, and sometimes outperforming, major regional players like Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya in digital engagement and online.

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Israel's side (via the IDF and reports) has maintained that it does not deliberately target journalists, suggesting the crew may have been in an area previously warned for evacuation or near military targets (e.g., a nearby base). No fatalities occurred in this specific incident—unlike some prior journalist deaths in the region—but it injured the RT crew.

Regarding the UK's response: As of the latest available information (up to March 21, 2026), there are no public reports of any official British government action, such as summoning the Israeli ambassador in London, issuing a strong condemnation, or other diplomatic steps specifically tied to this event. 

The journalist is British, but his employment with RT (often viewed critically in the West due to its Russian state ties) may factor into muted or absent official UK reaction. Coverage in British media (e.g., Evening Standard) has noted the journalist's claims, but no government statements are highlighted in major reports. 

This incident fits into ongoing tensions over journalist safety in the Israel aggression against the people of Lebanon, with parallels drawn to Gaza (where many journalists have been killed) and accusations that Israel targets media to obscure its war crimes. Russia has used this to highlight press risks, while Israel lies as usual to frames strikes as targeting threats amid the broader escalation with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Journalist Alex's Barnicoat who is also covering the war, post (from @AlexBarnicoat_) appears to be a viral video clip or reaction video amplifying "Russia angry" over the event, with dramatic imagery of missiles and the reporter, framing it as breaking news about Russian outrage toward Israel. No militants were involved in the specific strike on the journalists—they were clearly identified as press covering the conflict.