Journalist Receives Death Threats Over Iran Missile Report Amid Polymarket Gambling Controversy
Emanuel Fabian, a military correspondent for The Times of Israel, has reported receiving death threats and harassment following his coverage of an alleged Iranian ballistic missile attack near Beit Shemesh on March 10, 2026. Fabian initially reported, citing rescue services and footage, that a missile struck an open area near the city, causing no injuries. However, he later received an email from an individual named Aviv, claiming that local authorities and MDA had corrected their reports, stating it was an interceptor fragment, not a full missile. This dispute appears linked to a bet on the Polymarket site titled 'Iran strikes Israel on...?', suggesting gamblers are pressuring Fabian to alter his reporting to influence the outcome of the bet.
On March 10, 2026, a significant explosion occurred near Beit Shemesh, outside Jerusalem, which was initially reported as another Iranian ballistic missile attack during the ongoing conflict. Emanuel Fabian, The Times of Israel's military correspondent, reported on the incident for the publication's liveblog. Citing rescue services and visual evidence of a massive explosion, Fabian stated that the missile had impacted an open, forested area approximately 500 meters from residential homes, causing no injuries.
What Fabian initially considered a minor incident in the broader conflict has since escalated into a period of intense harassment and death threats directed at him. The controversy began later on the same Tuesday when Fabian received an unusual email, written in Hebrew, from a person identified as Aviv.
Aviv's email challenged Fabian's report, stating, "Regarding your Times of Israel report that described today’s launch as an ‘impact’ — Beit Shemesh Municipality and MDA (Magen David Adom) later corrected their reports to clarify that what fell was an interceptor fragment, not a full missile." Aviv then requested that Fabian update his article to reflect this alleged correction, or provide further information if he had evidence that it was indeed a full, unintercepted missile.
This pressure on Fabian's reporting is seemingly connected to a bet placed on the Polymarket platform, titled 'Iran strikes Israel on...?', as indicated by a photo taken on March 16, 2026, showing the bet. The implication is that individuals involved in this bet are attempting to influence Fabian's journalistic output to sway the outcome of their wagers.
