Since the start of the war with Iran, the Israeli military has imposed strict censorship regulations on local and international media outlets operating inside the country, severely impeding journalists’ ability to cover the situation on the ground. Reporters and networks are prohibited from publishing the precise location of Iranian missile impacts, or even filming or photographing the extent of the damage in a way that could give away the location — restrictions designed, in the words of the army’s chief censor Col. Netanel Kula, “to prevent assistance to the enemy during wartime.” Outside of wartime, Israeli law already gives the military censor the authority to prevent certain information from being published, even retroactively. This can include aspects of Israel’s arms deals or intelligence activities, among other security-related topics.

only democracy in the middle east folks

But just as it did during the “12-Day War” last June, the censor has tightened its restrictions amid the current U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. The police have already detained several journalists it deemed to be violating these censorship regulations. In an unclassified document published on March 5, Kula instructed journalists to submit anything related to the following topics to the censor for review prior to publication: operational matters, intelligence, defensive preparedness, impact sites in Israel, armament management (including munitions and interceptor stockpiles, aircraft and air defense systems readiness, and the employment and use of unique and classified weaponry), and operational vulnerabilities in defense and offense. “Consideration must also be given to the publication of visual materials, such as photographs and videos, which must also be submitted for prior review,” Kula added. These restrictions have created some absurd situations for journalists. In one case known to +972 Magazine, an Iranian missile hit its target while fragments struck a nearby educational facility. Yet the media was only allowed to report on the latter, without being able to even mention the former or inspect the damage. In another case, journalists were documenting damage to a residential building when a man who likely worked for a security agency told police to instruct the journalists there not to film the actual target of the strike, which was behind them. The officer replied that the journalists would not have noticed it if they were not told, since most of the damage was to the civilian building.

Several senior staff members in international media organizations operating in Israel told +972 that the censor’s restrictions have made it difficult to maintain normal reporting routines. One example concerns live feeds of wide shots from cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem that international news agencies provide for use by broadcasters worldwide. During Iranian missile attacks, the agencies are prohibited from showing where Israeli interceptor missiles are launched from, meaning they must either cut the broadcast or tilt the camera downward toward the street so the skyline is not visible. A senior figure at one news agency said that after cutting the live feed, they sometimes send footage of incoming missiles and interceptions to the censor for approval. The censor has barred several of these clips from publication, including a failed interception and a missile fragment continuing its trajectory. The censor has also rejected still photographs showing interceptor launches, including long-exposure nighttime images that do not reveal precise locations. “It’s hard to understand what is actually happening,” a senior manager at a foreign media outlet working in Israel explained. “In a lot of cases, we have official reports that there were no strikes or damage only to discover later that a target was hit. We can’t report or confirm so we don’t know if it happened or not.” “We have a partial understanding of the reality on the ground,” the senior manager admitted. “Our coverage of the war is not truthful.”

‘Masked security personnel told me what not to film’

Criticism of the tightened censorship regulations is not limited to the international media. On the evening of March 11, Hezbollah launched its most intense volley of rocket fire since the start of the Iran war; Israeli media outlets knew about this in advance, but were barred from publishing the story. “The censor rejected information I had this evening about the possibility that Hezbollah may try to intensify its fire toward Israel,” Channel 12’s Nitzan Shapira wrote that night. “Later in the evening, the same information was published on CNN, and only then were we able to report it. “This is exactly the problem with this conduct,” he continued. “Instead of residents of the State of Israel receiving real-time information that could help them prepare and get ready in a basic way, the information was censored, and the Israeli public finds itself once again getting updated by American media outlets. An absurd situation.” The following morning, the IDF Spokesperson apologized, saying it was “wrong not to update the public.”

very funny for settlers to be screwed over by their own government

As in the previous Iran war, journalists have also been detained in the course of their work. Two journalists from CNN Türk were briefly detained while broadcasting live near the Kirya, Israel’s military headquarters in Tel Aviv. At one missile impact site in Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv, I saw members of the local civilian security squad — one of hundreds of armed volunteer groups that the Israeli government has established since the October 7 attacks to expand its policing effort — checking journalists’ credentials, even though police had already cleared them. “Let’s make sure there are no spies here,” the squad commander called out to his colleagues. The commander acknowledged, however, that they have no control over ordinary citizens filming on their phones and spreading footage on social media. At another impact site in central Israel last week, a man claiming to be a police volunteer demanded to see journalists’ press credentials. After identifying a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem who works for a foreign network, he accused him — without evidence — of transmitting the locations of missile strikes. During the war last summer, the right-wing activist known as “The Shadow” and members of his civilian security squad unlawfully detained foreign and Palestinian journalists at an impact site in Tel Aviv. Authorities later instructed them not to interfere with journalists.

“After two and a half years of war, including the war with Iran in the summer, you already have experience of what you can and can’t document, and what the censor will reject,” another journalist from an international outlet explained. “Last summer, I published a report from an impact site but the censor called and ordered us to take it down,” the journalist continued. “So now, when I arrive at the scene of a missile impact, almost automatically I document and report only what I know is allowed.” One morning during this war, the journalist added, “I arrived at one of the impact sites hit overnight in central Israel, and masked security personnel came and told me what not to film.” As a result of the restrictions, journalists are having to find creative ways to get information out to the public. On the evening of March 10, Hezbollah fired two rockets into Israel; while media outlets were barred from publishing the locations of the impacts, some, including Ynet, quoted a statement by Hezbollah saying they had targeted a satellite station near Beit Shemesh, and included a video that Hezbollah shared which had been taken from social media. Some journalists have noted, however, that the censorship seems less strict this time than during the 12-Day War last summer, and that the mood in the street is somewhat different — perhaps because the Iranian strikes have resulted in fewer Israeli casualties.

“Last year, the public mood seemed a little more hostile at one point, with right-wing activists claiming that Al Jazeera and others were broadcasting locations that they shouldn’t be,” a journalist working for an international media outlet told +972. “I remember police checking journalists’ ID cards after we filmed the aftermath of a strike because they were provoked by a right-wing activist. But I didn’t see anything like that this time.”

maybe because, as the guy explained above, journalists have already been cowed into not even trying to film stuff that could get them into trouble

The U.S. Navy officially confirmed changing the decommissioning timeline for nuclear aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), which was to be decommissioned in May this year. Now this deadline has been moved to 2027. New USS Nimitz operation timelines were announced by U.S. Navy representatives to USNI. Official reasons for this decision were not announced, but the main reason can quite possibly be considered the American 2011 law establishing a minimum threshold of 11 carriers in the U.S. USS Nimitz’s replacement John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) Ford-class should enter service no earlier than March 2027.

At the same time, the publication focuses on the question of USS Nimitz’s real combat capability in such condition. Noting that Nimitz-class nuclear carriers awaiting mid-life refueling were used as training platforms for pilots and participated in local exercises. Defense Express notes this hint was made regarding nuclear fuel, its production and the condition of the carrier’s two 550 MW A4W nuclear reactors each. The fact is that Nimitz-class carriers were built with calculation for 50-year operation and one global reactor maintenance with nuclear fuel reload during so-called Refueling and Complex Overhaul. USS Nimitz passed this complex of work in 1998-2001, meaning their start came 23 years from its 1975 entry into service. New planned ship decommissioning timelines are scheduled for 26 years from mid-life cycle work completion. In other words, reactor real capabilities in such condition may not meet needs and may impose limitations on carrier combat capability. At the same time, USS Nimitz is the first representative of its class and has the oldest A4W reactors, so their real operation timelines in practice are only now being studied.

Also, the Pentagon has not currently announced any details about how specifically USS Nimitz will finish service. Currently the carrier is heading from Pacific Ocean to Atlantic to Norfolk base, where nuclear fuel unloading and further carrier decommissioning at Newport News Shipbuilding shipyard were to occur. Thus USS Nimitz has every chance to stand at pier for one additional year in only formal combat unit status, which will allow not violating the law. Or continue active service, which for the Pentagon may be important given the war against Iran, which is gradually transitioning to protracted status.

Mexico City, March 15 (Prensa Latina) President Claudia Sheinbaum today endorsed former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s stance of solidarity with Cuba, and reiterated that Mexico will continue to support the people of the Caribbean nation.

During an event in Compostela, in the western state of Nayarit, he highlighted the message conveyed yesterday by the former governor, in which he stated that he is retired, but it hurts him “that they seek to exterminate, for their ideals of freedom and defense of sovereignty, the brother people of Cuba.”

Sheinbaum mentioned that the population of the largest of the Antilles has suffered for many years from the economic blockade imposed by the United States.

“Recently, they imposed another blockade to prevent oil from reaching us, and our Cuban brothers and sisters are suffering; they are a brotherly, close nation. We decided that even though it was difficult to send oil, we would continue sending aid,” the dignitary stated.

He added that López Obrador called for solidarity from the Mexican people with Cuba by inviting them to deposit money into an account for that purpose.

“How could she not speak out about a sister nation? Do you know what that means? It’s about the greatness of heart, and it’s based on the greatness of the hearts of Mexican women and men,” the head of the Executive branch emphasized, questioning criticisms issued by sectors of the opposition.

“We will continue to support the people of Cuba from the government, and whoever wants to support, let them support,” he added.

She recalled the solidarity of the Mexican people in adverse situations, such as the rains last year in the states of Hidalgo, Veracruz, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro and Puebla, where people, despite the difficulties, offered their support and gratitude on each of the president’s tours.

“That’s not just for any town, that’s for the people of Mexico, and we should feel very proud to be Mexican,” the president said, emphasizing that those born in this country are characterized by love for their neighbors, family, nature, and homeland.

Following the former president’s call to support Cuba, proof of transfers to Banorte account 1358451779 of the civil association Humanity with Latin America, opened by citizens, writers and journalists to buy products and send them to the island, is multiplying on social media today.

The newspaper La Jornada urged support for Cuba on Tuesday and published the aforementioned bank account.

“We make a firm call for solidarity with the Cuban people and to put an end to arrogant and aggressive unilateralism,” the more than 200 signatories stated in the appeal, including the writer Elena Poniatowska, the Spanish intellectual Ignacio Ramonet and media executives.

In the document titled “The destiny of Cuba is not foreign to us,” they also asked for support for “all governmental or citizen actions undertaken in order to protect human well-being, integrity and dignity” in the Caribbean country.

Havana says contacts with Washington have been ‘respectful.’ On Friday, President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed that Cuban officials have held talks with representatives of the United States government.

“First and foremost, the purpose of this conversation is to identify bilateral problems that require solutions, based on their severity and impact,” he said. Diaz-Canel also mentioned that the talks aim to determine both sides’ willingness to take concrete actions for the benefit of the people of both countries, identify areas of cooperation to address threats, and guarantee the security and peace of both nations and of Latin America and the Caribbean.

“This is part of a very sensitive process, conducted with seriousness and responsibility, because it affects bilateral relations between both nations and demands enormous and significant efforts to find solutions and create spaces for understanding that will allow us to move away from confrontation,” the Cuban president specified.

The contacts were promoted by Diaz-Canel himself and by Raul Castro with the aim of addressing bilateral differences through dialogue.

The Cuban president said the exchanges have taken place in a “respectful” atmosphere, focused on identifying problems between the two countries and seeking solutions that benefit their peoples.

For months, media reports had pointed to the existence of discreet contacts between Washington and Havana amid the current situation facing the island due to the U.S. energy blockade. Until now, however, Cuban authorities had not officially confirmed those contacts.

The official acknowledgment of these conversations comes just one day after the Cuban government announced the early release of 51 imprisoned individuals, a measure Havana presented as the result of an agreement with the Vatican and as a gesture of “good will” within the framework of relations with the Holy See.

The Cuban Foreign Ministry said the inmates will be released in the coming days and that all have served a significant portion of their sentences and maintained good behavior in prison. However, the Cuban government did not publish the names of those who will benefit from the measure.

In the past, similar prisoner releases have been linked to diplomatic negotiations with the United States. This was the case, for example, with the mediation carried out by the Vatican in 2014 to facilitate a rapprochement between the governments of Barack Obama and Raul Castro.

Diaz-Canel stressed that any negotiation process must be conducted on the basis of recognizing equality among states, respect for the self-determination of peoples, and the pursuit of friendly relations between the parties.