Israel bans reporting of damage caused by Hezbollah strikes: Western media

Israel has banned media coverage of the damage caused by Hezbollah strikes deep within the occupied territories on August 25. 

The government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a censorship directive, Caliber.Az reports, citing Western media.

This directive requires journalists to obtain prior approval before reporting on "damage caused by rocket attacks to strategic infrastructure or military bases" to prevent "harm to Israeli forces on the ground."

The BBC, a state-run British media outlet, reported that Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Lebanon's Hezbollah, is expected to provide proof that rockets hit specific targets in Israel. In a televised speech broadcast live shortly after the strikes, Nasrallah claimed that the Israeli government was attempting to conceal the losses it suffered from the Hezbollah operation.

Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones into Israel in retaliation for the assassination of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr on July 30. Nasrallah explained that Hezbollah had postponed its retaliatory action against Israel to allow for Gaza ceasefire talks, hoping to end what he described as Israel's campaign of genocide in the besieged Palestinian territory. He also emphasized that Hezbollah's retaliatory strikes were aimed at military targets, not civilians.

Among the targets hit by Hezbollah was an Israeli naval boat, where a soldier was killed and two others were injured. Hezbollah's strikes followed what Israel described as a pre-emptive attack on southern Lebanon.

In response to the escalation, Netanyahu convened a cabinet meeting to discuss the strikes and declared a 48-hour state of emergency. Authorities also ordered the closure of all universities and beaches in Haifa, a major port city, until further notice.