A CNN crew broadcasting from Tel Aviv found themselves scrambling for safety on live television as missile sirens pierced the air and Israeli defense systems tracked incoming Iranian projectiles overhead—a dramatic moment illustrating the dangerous conditions journalists face covering the escalating Middle East conflict.
CNN anchor Erin Burnett and correspondent Jeremy Diamond were reporting near Israel’s Ministry of Defense on Tuesday, March 10, when emergency alerts began blaring across the city. The pair had been interviewing retired Major General Randy Manner about reports that Iran was laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz when sirens forced them to evacuate.
Burnett remained remarkably composed, picking up equipment and moving toward shelter while continuing her broadcast. “Alright, so Jeremy and I are, obviously we’re having trouble hearing because we have the sirens going on here as we are going to seek shelter,” Burnett said on the move.
The CNN crew took cover in a concrete stairwell as sirens continued wailing throughout Tel Aviv. Israel’s defense systems tracked missiles in the sky while interceptors worked to neutralize incoming threats. The network reported its crew heard explosions during the strike, which came amid heightened tensions following U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran.
This marked the second time in just over a week that Burnett had been forced to seek shelter during a live broadcast. On March 3, she evacuated while interviewing Dan Diker from the Jerusalem Center for Security & Foreign Affairs, estimating they had approximately five or six minutes from the initial warning before impacts would begin.
Days earlier, Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst rushed his camera crew to safety on Saturday, February 28, as Iranian missiles descended on Tel Aviv during a live broadcast. The Fox News footage captured Israel’s Iron Dome tracking missiles in the sky as other rockets smashed into the city behind him.
CNN senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen experienced his own close call while reporting from Iran when a site he was filming was targeted by airstrikes. “That just goes to show how fast things can turn bad here,” Pleitgen reported after fleeing for cover in Tehran.
The situation took a troubling turn for press freedom when a CNN Türk crew was detained live on air in Tel Aviv following the Iranian missile strike on March 3. Correspondent Emrah Çakmak and cameraman Halil Kahraman were taken into custody by Israeli security forces while reporting near Israel’s Ministry of Defense. Security personnel approached and halted the live transmission as officers seized the journalists’ phones.
The CNN Türk team had been covering the aftermath of Iranian strikes, showing civilians emerging from shelters, when security forces intervened. Turkey’s Communications Director Burhanettin Duran condemned the detention, calling it an attack on the press “aimed at concealing the truth.” AK Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik described the detention as “an attack on press freedom” and demanded immediate release.
These incidents highlight the extraordinary risks journalists accept to bring coverage from conflict zones. As tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran continue escalating, reporters navigate not only physical dangers from missile strikes but also restrictions from authorities concerned about security at sensitive government locations.
The current conflict has claimed American lives. Six U.S. Army Reserve soldiers were killed when an Iranian drone struck a tactical operations center at the Shuaiba port in Kuwait on March 1. President Donald Trump addressed the losses in a video statement, saying the nation grieves “for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.”
The U.S. military has partnered with Israeli forces for coordinated strikes against Iran, prompting a series of counterstrikes targeting various cities throughout the Middle East. Tel Aviv has emerged as a frequent target, with Iranian missiles repeatedly testing Israel’s defensive capabilities.
For journalists like Burnett and her colleagues, live broadcasts from Tel Aviv have become exercises in crisis management—balancing their commitment to reporting with split-second decisions about personal safety. Concrete stairwells and bunkers have transformed from emergency shelters into makeshift studios, where correspondents continue delivering updates even as explosions echo overhead.
As the conflict shows no signs of immediate resolution, news crews remain stationed across the region, prepared to take cover at a moment’s notice while documenting the unfolding crisis. Their broadcasts from bunkers and fortified stairwells serve as stark reminders of the human cost of war and the determination of journalists to bear witness regardless of the risks involved.