US lawmakers seek probe into Israel strike that hit American journalist

US lawmakers called Tuesday for an independent investigation into an Israeli attack in Lebanon last year that wounded Dylan Collins, an American citizen and journalist for Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Collins and five others -- including AFP's Christina Assi, who had to have her right leg amputated -- were wounded and Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah was killed by Israeli shellfire while they were reporting in southern Lebanon in October 2023.

"It has now been more than one year since Mr. Collins was injured in a targeted Israeli strike while on assignment for AFP. To date, Mr. Collins has received no explanation for the attack, and there have been no steps toward accountability," the 12 lawmakers -- 11 Democrats and an independent -- wrote.

"Given the inaction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, the United States must open an independent investigation into this incident," said the letter, which was addressed to US President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Attorney General Merrick Garland.

"The evidence clearly indicates that this was an unlawful direct attack on civilians in which a US citizen was injured and was lucky to survive," the lawmakers wrote, describing it as "part of a wider pattern of disregard by the Israeli military for the safety of civilians, including journalists and humanitarian aid workers."

The Lebanon conflict has rapidly escalated in recent weeks, with Israel carrying out extensive strikes at both the border and further inside the neighboring country and launching ground operations.

More than 1,550 people have been killed in bombardment by Israel since it intensified its air campaign on Lebanon last month, according to an AFP tally, while Lebanese authorities say that more than a million people have been displaced.