By Samuel Short March 4, 2026 at 11:53am
CNN, in an effort to stop the bleeding that is the network’s declining viewership, decided to film an apparently tense situation when one of their anchors was forced to take shelter in Tel Aviv, Israel, amid blaring warning sirens, indicating a strike by Iran.
The problem: The moment comes off as completely farcical when watching with a critical eye.
As we are now five days into the U.S. and Israel’s ongoing conflict with Iran, major media outlets have taken to on-the-ground reporting, looking to get as close to the news as possible.
Make no mistake, this is a dangerous situation.
USA Today reported Tuesday that at least six American servicemembers are dead, along with hundreds of others in countries neighboring Iran, not to mention the Iranians themselves.
Chastising CNN should by no means downplay the severity of this conflict, but it’s what the network deserves with its coverage.
HOLY CRAP AS the broadcast was rolling on cnn, all HELL BROKE loose: “We have things COMING IN, so we are going to un-mic… we do need to move pretty quickly.”
“Now, while sheltering at that time, we heard a number of large blasts, and that’s, that’s what you hear as they… pic.twitter.com/EfOz9h1o5Z
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) March 4, 2026
News anchor Erin Burnett could be heard saying, “You hear the sirens now, and this is all around the area that we’re in in Tel Aviv.”
Burnett was accompanied by Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. “OK, and then let’s just keep going,” she told her guest, switching to a handheld microphone.
Around the one-minute mark, two men were seen standing in the background, looking off in the distance.
Diker tried making some point about Iran’s military strategy, but it was completely overshadowed by the nonchalance of the men behind the duo.
Given the urgency in Burnett’s voice and how she and Diker were making a “run for cover,” it looked totally awkward, if not laughable.
Other viewers on social media platform X apparently had their doubts as to whether CNN was just trying to boost ratings by being dramatic:
Everyone else is just chillin. This was theater for the home audience. pic.twitter.com/2FHFJygC1j
— Chicago_J32 (@Chicago_J32) March 4, 2026
Still think of this bc it’s @CNN pic.twitter.com/5zXWgy3Ply
— Jared Brehm (@JaredBrehm) March 4, 2026
CNN has a long history of faking war correspondence. pic.twitter.com/CSbKjUyfeQ
— pratok69 (@peterkotar12668) March 4, 2026
— Smitty Smat (@SmittySmat) March 4, 2026
Admittedly, those critics have a point.
If those two men in the background were part of the crew, why weren’t they quickly trying to gather any valuable equipment before getting to safety?
If Burnett was leading Diker to safety and was actually worried, she should have been rounding up everyone else, telling them it was time to leave.
But the two men were just standing there.
There’s no doubt Israel is a dangerous place to be. The Iranians are fighting back.
No one should doubt those facts.
But when thinking about the network in question — this is CNN, after all — this looked more like a chance to get viewers with a viral clip they completely fumbled.
Sam Short is an Assistant Professor of History with Motlow State Community College in Smyrna, Tennessee. He holds a BA in History from Middle Tennessee State University and an MA in History from University College London. The views expressed in his articles are his own and do not reflect the views or opinions of Motlow State Community College.
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