Israel has acknowledged being hit by more than 50 missiles during the 12-day war with Iran, but the true extent of the damage may never be known due to stringent press restrictions.

Such regulations are nothing new in Israel, where any written or visual publication deemed potentially harmful to the loosely defined concept of "national security" can be banned by law.

Censorship predates the creation of Israel in 1948, when the territory was under a British mandate.

But with the recent missile barrages from Iran that managed to breach Israel's vaunted air defences and kill 28 people, the restrictions were further tightened.

Any broadcast from a "combat zone or missile impact site" requires written authorisation from the military censor, according to the Israeli Government Press Office, which is responsible for government communications and for accrediting journalists.

This requirement is particularly stringent when strikes land near military bases, oil refineries, or other facilities deemed strategic.

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