Israeli Airstrike Claims Life of Lebanon’s ‘Turtle Guardian’ Mona Khalil

Lebanese marine conservationist and environmental activist Mona Khalil has died from injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike that struck her home near the southern coastal city of Tyre, bringing an end to a decades-long campaign dedicated to protecting endangered sea turtles along Lebanon’s Mediterranean coast.

Khalil, 76, succumbed to her injuries on Friday after spending days in intensive care following the strike on her residence and conservation center in the village of Al-Mansouri. The attack occurred amid renewed Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon, where tensions have continued despite diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing regional hostilities.

Widely known as Lebanon’s “turtle guardian,” Khalil devoted more than two decades to safeguarding nesting grounds for endangered loggerhead and green sea turtles. In 2000, she established the Orange House Project, an eco-tourism and conservation initiative that became a symbol of environmental protection in southern Lebanon. Through the project, she organized volunteer programs, monitored turtle nests, and campaigned against pollution and destructive fishing practices.

Environmental organizations across Lebanon and beyond paid tribute to Khalil following news of her death. Conservation groups described her as a pioneering advocate whose work inspired generations of Lebanese environmentalists and helped raise awareness about the importance of protecting the country’s fragile coastal ecosystems.

According to local reports, Khalil’s assistant was also injured in the strike but survived and is recovering. The attack has drawn condemnation from environmental and human rights advocates, who argue that civilians and environmental defenders continue to bear the consequences of ongoing conflict in the region.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1949, Khalil spent years abroad before returning to Lebanon, where a chance encounter with a nesting sea turtle inspired her lifelong conservation mission. Her work transformed Al-Mansouri beach into one of Lebanon’s most recognized wildlife protection areas and earned her international respect among marine conservationists.

Her death has renewed concerns about the impact of conflict on environmental protection efforts in Lebanon, with supporters vowing to continue the conservation work she championed throughout her life.