State of the World from NPR Paramedics pay the price of war in Lebanon
Apr 2, 2026
Lauren Frayer, an NPR foreign correspondent who reported from Beirut, shares frontline reporting from Lebanon. She describes funerals for medics and accounts of strikes on rescue scenes. The conversation covers Red Cross notification protocols, claims of attacks on first responders, human rights findings, and the emotional toll on dispatchers.
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Red Cross Volunteer Killed After Notifying UN
- Yusuf Asaf, a Lebanese Red Cross volunteer, was killed by an Israeli airstrike after exiting his ambulance at a March 9 rescue scene.
- Red Cross boss Alexei Meyme said they had notified UN peacekeepers who relay coordinates to Israel but received no reply about the strike.
Arguments Over Legal Protections For Paramedics
- Human Rights Watch says recent attacks on medical teams in Lebanon and Gaza amount to apparent war crimes because paramedics are protected under international law.
- Israel disputes intentional targeting, saying it revokes protections when medical misuse occurs and accuses Hezbollah of exploiting medical assets.
Hezbollah Ambulance Chief Won't Share Movements
- Mohammed Farhat runs Hezbollah's ambulance service and does not notify Israel of his movements, unlike the Red Cross.
- He described pausing rescues due to fear of double-tap strikes where Israel allegedly hits rescuers after initial strikes.