During 12 days of intense conflict between Israel and Iran, AP delivered urgent, wide-ranging coverage that underscored its global reach and cross-format strength.
With teams reporting under fire in Tehran and Tel Aviv, and round-the-clock coordination across the Middle East, Washington and Europe, AP became a go-to source for newsrooms and audiences around the world.
In Iran, journalists worked under extraordinary constraints—navigating airstrikes, political sensitivity and evacuation procedures—to provide photos, video and real-time updates. Colleagues in Dubai managed safety and logistics, anchored the live blog, and produced rapid-fire explainers with in-depth context on Iran’s military capabilities and nuclear program.
Meanwhile, a newly created Iran desk, staffed by journalists outside the country and kept anonymous for security reasons, secured original reporting and verified user-generated content from inside one of the world’s most tightly controlled societies.
In Israel, AP’s team braved near-constant air-raid sirens and missile attacks to produce compelling live video, vivid text and front-page photography. The Washington bureau’s speed on alerts during the initial strikes, along with expert analysis and coordination with the Middle East desk, helped AP stay ahead of the competition.
Collaboration across time zones was key. Washington pushed critical alerts, Europe added nuclear expertise—especially on the IAEA—and Dubai served as the operational hub, coordinating visuals, text and explainers.
The impact was measurable: more than 5 million livestream views from Tel Aviv, 2 million views on the ceasefire blog, and millions more across formats.
For delivering timely, trusted and high-stakes journalism across continents, the Israel-Iran war coverage team is this week’s Best of AP — First Winner.
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