Why it matters:
The recent Iran-Israel conflict has left Israel with significant human, economic, and infrastructural losses, but strict military censorship is obscuring the full extent of the damage, raising questions about transparency and the war's long-term consequences.
The big picture:
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a "historic victory," the reality on the ground reveals a costly war with lasting repercussions. Beyond civilian casualties and property damage, critical military and scientific infrastructure was hit in the occupied territories, with economic disruptions running into billions.
However, Israel’s tight control over war-related information suggests the true scale of destruction, particularly to military sites, may be far worse than officially acknowledged.
Key points:
- 29 killed, 3,238 wounded (some critically).
- The estimated total cost at 10 billion shekels ($3 billion), including:
- 3-5 billion shekels ($900M-$1.5B) from missile strikes.
- Similar scale due to business shutdowns, evacuations, and lost productivity (~1.5B shekels/day).
Infrastructure damage:
- 1,000+ buildings damaged/destroyed, including in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheba.
- Critical sites hit. Weizmann Institute (1.5-2B shekels in damage), Haifa oil refineries, Soroka Hospital.
Hidden military damage:
- Reports suggest 5 military bases were struck, including the Kirya HQ (Netanyahu’s office unusable for months).
- Censors block details, allegedly to prevent Iran from improving missile accuracy, but critics call it morale management.
- U.S. involved in the war with 36 THAAD missiles ($12M each) fired in support of Israel’s air defense.
What they're saying:
Benjamin Netanyahu called the aggression a "historic victory" but acknowledged heavy losses.
Raviv Drucker (journalist): "Many Iranian strikes went unreported… The truth is, we were also deterred."
Government source (to Times of Israel): Military costs likely exceed 20B shekels ($5.6B).
Go deeper:
‘Illusion of victory’: Israeli journo exposes Tel Aviv censorship in 12-day war
Hossein Amiri
