Israeli strike kills 76-year-old Lebanese turtle conservationist
Why it matters: Mona Khalil spent 25 years protecting endangered sea turtle nesting grounds on Lebanon's south coast.
Lebanese conservationist Mona Khalil, 76, died Friday after being wounded when an Israeli strike hit her home near Mansouri beach, south of Tyre, about two weeks earlier. Khalil was widely credited with helping protect one of the eastern Mediterranean's most important nesting areas for endangered loggerhead and green sea turtles. She began the effort after seeing a turtle lay eggs on the beach in 1999 and later helped build the Orange House Project into a hub for conservation, research and environmental education. Israel's military told NPR last week it had no indication it struck the house and was reviewing its records. Her death comes as Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon intensify despite efforts to preserve a fragile peace.