Growing public unease in Israel over the war with Iran has prompted mounting calls for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to clarify the conflict’s objectives and trajectory.
The demands follow conflicting statements about when the war might end, coupled with Netanyahu’s continued refusal to answer questions from the press. Instead, the prime minister has released daily video statements as the conflict entered its 13th day. Government ministers have also reportedly been instructed not to speak with journalists.
Media outlets sharply criticized the government on Thursday, arguing that the public is being left in the dark about the war’s goals or its possible duration.
Some commentators say both Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump entered the conflict without a clear exit strategy. Trump has suggested that the war’s objectives have largely been achieved, while Netanyahu has said the fighting will continue “as long as necessary,” without specifying a timeline.
Tensions ran high overnight Wednesday after rumors spread of a major coordinated missile attack by Iran and Hezbollah. Israeli journalists who investigated the reports found that the information appeared credible. However, attempts to publish the story were blocked by Israel’s military censor.
Reporters initially assumed the censorship was intended to protect intelligence sources. But within an hour, the same information appeared on the American network CNN, citing security sources in Tel Aviv, prompting anger among Israeli journalists.
As rumors circulated, fear among residents quickly escalated into panic, with some people rushing to shelters even though no air-raid sirens had sounded.
The incident triggered sharp criticism of the military censor in Israeli media. Journalists and analysts accused authorities of withholding critical information from the public.
Nitzan Shapira, a correspondent for Channel 12 whose report was blocked, said the decision deprived citizens of the opportunity to prepare calmly for incoming missiles.
“Instead of Israeli citizens receiving timely information that would allow them to move to shelters in an orderly way, the censor intervened and withheld the information until people heard it from foreign sources,” he said. “This is an absurd situation.”
A military commentator on the right-leaning Channel 14 went further, accusing the army of weakness. He argued that intelligence warnings about a potential wave of Hezbollah rocket fire should have prompted stronger military action, including strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut.
Meanwhile, Israeli social media circulated statements attributed to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming Tehran could launch large-scale attacks using Kheibar, Qader, and Khorramshahr missiles capable of striking wide-ranging areas for hours.
Israeli military officials said they had no evidence that simultaneous activity from Iran and Lebanon was part of a coordinated campaign. Still, the possibility of attacks on two fronts heightened public concern.
Local leaders in Israel’s northern Galilee region, returning from a meeting with Home Front Command, urged residents to remain close to shelters and maintain heightened readiness.
There has also been growing unease along Israel’s northern border. Since Hezbollah joined the conflict, it has carried out repeated rocket attacks. Although fewer in number than earlier barrages before the last ceasefire, some reportedly included precision missiles with ranges of up to 165 kilometers.
Yet, Israeli army spokesman Effie Defrin sought to calm the public, saying the military was aware of concerns about a possible escalation.
“There is no change in the protective guidelines issued by the Home Front Command,” Defrin said, urging Israelis to follow civil defense instructions.
In Israeli media, Defrin has become the main official voice addressing the public, while many journalists say they remain constrained by censorship.
Some now openly question whether such restrictions are appropriate for what they describe as a Western democracy in 2026.
