An all-formats AP team delivered a rapid and wide-ranging response as Israeli strikes hit central Beirut, marking the deadliest day so far in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war.
Photographers Bilal Hussein and Hussein Malla quickly reached the scene, capturing buildings and vehicles engulfed in flames, while Hassan Ammar shot smoke rising over the city and Emilio Morenatti documented rescue efforts at a collapsed building. Their images were published prominently on major international homepages and front pages. The photographers also recorded on-camera reflections about their work, produced by senior producer Malak Harb.
Video journalists Fadi Tawil and Mohammed Anouti established live positions that led competitors for hours, while Ali Sharafeddine captured urgent footage of rescue teams searching for survivors. Kareem Chehayeb secured the first official reaction on camera, interviewing Lebanon’s social affairs minister, and contributed explainers alongside Abby Sewell and Isabel Debre, who also mapped strike locations.
Sarah El Deeb’s narrative wove together survivor testimony with her own experience reporting under fire, adding emotional depth. The team also produced a powerful feature on a Syrian father returning home with his family members killed in Beirut, with striking drone imagery from Ghaith AlSayed amplifying the story’s reach.
Across text, video, photography and graphics, the team ensured audiences could follow events in real time while understanding the broader context and human toll.
Judges praised the immersive, multi-layered coverage and the range of storytelling that elevated “being there” to a new level.
For comprehensive, high-impact coverage of a major breaking news event, AP’s team in Lebanon earns Best of the Week — First Winner.
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