Israel Detains American Journalist for Reporting on Damage from Iran's Strikes [UPDATE]

Jeremy Loffredo remains in Israeli jail.

Officially, police are holding him "on suspicion of serious security offenses for publicly publishing... the locations of missile drops near or inside sensitive security facilities, with the aim of bringing this to the notice of the enemy…

— The Grayzone (@TheGrayzoneNews) October 11, 2024

Jeremy Loffredo remains in Israeli jail.

Officially, police are holding him "on suspicion of serious security offenses for publicly publishing... the locations of missile drops near or inside sensitive security facilities, with the aim of bringing this to the notice of the enemy and thereby assisting them in their future attacks."

The charges stem from Jeremy's report for @TheGrayzoneNews showing the aftermath of Iranian attacks on military and intelligence targets inside Israel—the same exact locations which were openly featured in reports broadcast on ABC News and PBS, neither of which currently face such charges.

Originally, the judge overseeing Jeremy's case ordered him released, saying that since Israeli military censors agreed to allow Israeli media to publish both "word of [Jeremy's] arrest and the publications that led to his arrest," Israel could "no longer justify his continued detention."

However, police appealed this decision. For now, Jeremy remains in custody, and his appeal hearing is scheduled for tomorrow.

The Grayzone unequivocally rejects these outrageous accusations from Israeli police. We stand by Jeremy's legitimate reporting. The claim that Loffredo and The Grayzone represent Israel’s enemy in wartime merely suggests that the Israeli government views the American people and free press as a legitimate target. We represent no one else. We will fight these charges, and ask that you contact the State Department and urge them to act in defense of their citizen detained in Israel. The US has an obligation to defend its journalists who are merely adhering to their ethical obligation to inform the public of pertinent facts."

Jeremy Loffredo (@loffredojeremy) of @TheGrayzoneNews, a US citizen, has been arrested by Israeli forces and after 24 hours is still being detained. I ask all journalists to join us in calling for his release. https://t.co/ciyZdNNaMr

— Aaron Maté (@aaronjmate) October 9, 2024

According to Israel’s @ynetnews, Israel is charging US journalist Jeremy Loffredo with “aiding the enemy during wartime and providing information to the enemy” for reporting on the Israeli military targets hit by Iran earlier this month.

Israel is detaining and prosecuting an… https://t.co/KnOeUrQvfo pic.twitter.com/QTvTuYtFbX

— Aaron Maté (@aaronjmate) October 10, 2024

Today I was beaten, kidnapped, blindfolded and taken to a military base by the Israeli Occupation Forces, together with 4 other journalists.

Two of us were held for 11 hours without charges, my phone was confiscated (stolen), and one of us is still in custody.

Full story soon.

— Andrey X (@the_andrey_x) October 8, 2024

Jeremy Loffredo was beaten and detained in Israel for reporting the exact same information about damage caused by Iranian strikes that PBS correspondent @nickschifrin published. But Schifrin wans't arrested and is silent on Loffredo's detention.#FreeJeremy… pic.twitter.com/ElVI4lLf8v

— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) October 10, 2024

Jeremy Loffredo, an American journalist for The Grayzone, has been arrested by the Israeli military for his reporting inside Israel.

Loffredo was jailed just a few days after releasing a report on Iranian missile strikes in Israel, information the Israeli military has been trying to censor. According to the Israeli news site Ynet, because of the report, Loffredo faces charges of “aiding the enemy during wartime and providing information to the enemy.”

Representatives from the US embassy attended a hearing on a police request to extend Loffredo’s detention, but so far, the US government has been silent and has not publicly called for his release.