Israel Hides Missile Strike Death Toll As Public Backlash Grows

The Iranian missile barrage that struck deep into occupied Palestinian territories since Friday night has caused significant destruction and casualties, according to regional observers.

However, the Israeli regime has repeatedly censored the true extent of these losses in an attempt to manage internal dissent and maintain the illusion of strength.

Hebrew media and local commentators suggest that both the Israeli cabinet and military are deliberately concealing real figures to downplay the vulnerability of critical sites and to avoid triggering further public anxiety.

According to reports cited by Al Jazeera, analysts argue that revealing the real scope of damage could severely impact domestic support for Israel’s war campaign.

“Damage to key infrastructure and strategic facilities cannot be ignored for long,” said political researcher Emtans Shhadeh, director of the Israel Studies Program at the Mada al-Carmel Center.

“When Iranian missiles strike civilian areas, Israeli media reports it instantly — but information about strikes on military or strategic locations is withheld.”

Shhadeh added that Israel’s military censorship apparatus enforces a strict blackout on war-related casualty data, and domestic outlets comply with those restrictions.

Mahand Mustafa, an expert on Israeli affairs, confirmed this policy, stating: “Details about missile precision and damage to sensitive areas are deliberately hidden under wartime emergency law.”

These laws empower the Israeli regime to suppress any information deemed to impact internal security — especially in times of escalating confrontation.

Analysts describe the censorship not only as a tactical decision but also a psychological strategy aimed at forestalling protests and preserving the morale of a society now facing direct consequences of war.

Mohammad Ghazi Al-Jamal, a political researcher, echoed this concern, saying: “This is not new; we’ve seen Israel significantly underreport casualties in past conflicts, especially during the Gaza war.”

“What matters now is not just the death toll, but what was hit — including key energy and scientific hubs like the Weizmann Institute,” he said.

Al-Jamal emphasized that Iran’s targeting of such vital infrastructure appears designed to halt the Israeli war machine and shift the battlefield deep into Israeli territory.

Over time, the visible destruction is expected to fuel unrest among Israeli citizens, who may begin demanding an end to the war.

“This is why Israel’s military and political elites seek to suppress damage reports — to delay the inevitable public backlash,” he added.

Mahand Mustafa warned of an unprecedented psychological rupture inside Israeli society.

“After initial euphoria over Israel’s attack on Iran, Israelis are waking up to the horrific costs of this war,” he said.

“Israelis have never seen such destruction within their homeland. They're used to exporting war, not suffering it.”

He added that in previous confrontations with Palestinian or Lebanese resistance, missile strikes had a limited effect.

“But Iran’s precision and reach have shocked the Israeli public to its core,” he stressed.

This, Mustafa asserted, could lead to a major political reckoning.

“People will soon demand to know when this war will end — and how the government misled them about its costs,” he said.

He concluded that the Israeli regime has misjudged the scale and impact of Iran’s retaliation — and continues to deceive settlers with hollow reassurances.