Beirut. An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon has killed Mona Khalil, a prominent marine biologist and conservationist known for her work protecting endangered sea turtles. The British government condemned the strike, which occurred on Wednesday near the coastal town of Tyre.
Khalil, 52, was a founding member of the Tyre Coast Nature Reserve, a key nesting site for the loggerhead and green turtles. She had been widely recognised for her efforts to preserve Lebanon’s fragile coastal ecosystems amid years of conflict and pollution.
According to Lebanese officials, the strike targeted a vehicle near the reserve. Khalil was inside. The Israeli military said it was responding to rocket fire from Hezbollah, but did not immediately comment on the civilian casualty.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: “The United Kingdom condemns this strike on a civilian, a dedicated conservationist. We call for a full investigation and for all parties to uphold international humanitarian law.” The statement stopped short of assigning blame, but echoed concerns raised by environmental groups about the escalating toll on civilians.
Khalil’s death has drawn international condemnation. Greenpeace called it “a tragedy for conservation in the region.” The Lebanese government said it would raise the matter at the United Nations.
The strike comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Cross-border exchanges have intensified since the outbreak of war in Gaza. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has warned that the conflict is spilling over, endangering civilians on both sides of the Blue Line.
Khalil’s work had earned her accolades from environmental organisations worldwide. She was a symbol of soft power, an advocate for nature in a region often defined by division. Her death underscores the collateral damage of a conflict that shows no sign of abating.
In Tyre, colleagues remembered her as a tireless protector of turtles. “She gave her life to these creatures,” said Omar Suleiman, a fellow conservationist. “Now she is gone, and the turtles remain vulnerable.”