Israel suspends battalion over attack on CNN journalists

The Israeli military has suspended an entire reserve battalion following a clash with journalists from the US broadcaster CNN in the occupied West Bank.

The army’s top commander called the incident a “serious ethical and professional failure.”

In a statement on Monday, the military said the unit would undergo a process to “reinforce its professional and ethical foundations” and would remain in reserve service during a review.

Israeli battalion confronts journalists in Tayasir

The encounter happened on Thursday when a crew from the broadcaster was reporting on an attack by Israeli settlers and the creation of an illegal outpost in the Palestinian village of Tayasir, CNN said.

CNN journalist Jeremy Diamond and his team then encountered Israeli soldiers, the broadcaster reported. Video released by CNN showed a soldier pointing his rifle at the crew.

“One of the soldiers placed photojournalist Cyril Theophilos in a chokehold, bringing him to the ground and damaging his camera,” CNN said, adding that the crew was later detained.

The Foreign Press Association, which represents hundreds of journalists across Israel and the Palestinian territories, condemned the incident.

“This was not a misunderstanding,” the association said. “It was a violent assault on clearly identified journalists and a direct attack on press freedom.

“Pointing rifles at journalists and civilians, physically assaulting a cameraman and detaining a crew are actions that cross every line.”

‘This shouldn’t have happened’ — IDF spokesman

Spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Nadav Shoshani said the soldiers’ conduct “does not represent the IDF” and would be investigated.

“I apologized privately, and I will say it again — this shouldn’t have happened,” he said on X.

The military has opened a formal inquiry. The suspension of an entire battalion, an unusual step, is intended to send a deterrent message, according to Israeli media reports.

Soldiers in the unit expressed shock at what they described as collective punishment, the German news agency DPA reported.

The army said the battalion would return to operational duty once the review is complete.

The suspension of the battalion comes as the Israeli military faces international scrutiny over its treatment of journalists. Last year, Reporters Without Borders attributed nearly half of all journalist deaths in 2025 to Israeli forces.

Edited by: Natalie Muller