Forum Demands Criminal Probe Into Channel 14 for Serious Security Breaches

The Iron Swords Fighters Forum, led by retired Colonel Hanokh Dauba, has filed a detailed complaint against Channel 14 and its staff, accusing them of systematic violations of military censorship and serious security offenses. The complaint was submitted to State Attorney Amit Eisman, Police Intelligence and Investigations Chief Boaz Balat, and Chief Military Censor Brigadier General Netanel Kola. According to the forum, Channel 14 has for over two years engaged in a pattern of publishing classified and sensitive security information, sometimes before military operations were executed, prioritizing ratings and political influence over national security.

The complaint highlights several incidents, including the February 2024 disclosure by presenter Shimon Riklin of unique intelligence-gathering equipment used by the IDF in Gaza, which the censorship committee deemed a severe violation causing real security damage. Other examples include premature warnings about the upcoming Beepers operation in Lebanon, hints of an imminent strike on Iran in June 2025, and reports about a planned assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah shortly before the Israeli airstrike in Beirut.

Additionally, in March and June 2026, Riklin revealed real-time locations of IDF forces in Lebanon, information that allegedly led to a Hezbollah attack killing four soldiers. The complaint also cites breaches of publication bans, such as revealing the arrest and Shin Bet interrogation of Bezalel Zini in January 2026, and exposing planned northern front war scenarios to the enemy in September 2024.

The forum demands an immediate criminal investigation into Channel 14 and its employees for unauthorized disclosure of classified information and censorship violations. They warn that if no response detailing actions taken is received within 45 days, they will consider legal steps. Dauba emphasized, "Israel cannot allow ratings and proximity to power centers to override the security of our soldiers and the state. The law must apply equally to all who leak forbidden security information, regardless of identity or political affiliation."