Bettors are using death threats to try to get The Times of Israel\u2019s military correspondent to change his report on a missile impact in central Israel. This is his alarming account<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
By Emanuel Fabian <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Left: The Times of Israel’s military correspondent, Emanuel Fabian, in southern Lebanon on November 21, 2024; Right: This photo taken on March 16, 2026, shows a bet on the Polymarket site titled ‘Iran strikes Israel on…?’ (Chaim Goldberg\/ Flash90; Emanuel Fabian\/ Times of Israel)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Tuesday, March 10, a massive explosion shook the city of Beit Shemesh, just outside Jerusalem, in yet another Iranian ballistic missile attack during the ongoing war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rescue services scrambled to the scene in search of possible casualties, though as it turned out, the projectile had struck a forested area just outside the city, around 500 meters from homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On The Times of Israel\u2019s liveblog that day, I reported<\/a> that the missile had hit an open area and no injuries were caused, citing the rescue services, as well as footage that emerged showing the massive explosion caused by the missile\u2019s warhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what I thought was a seemingly minor incident during the war has turned into days of harassment and death threats against me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Later Tuesday, I received an unusual email, in Hebrew, from someone named Aviv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get The Times of Israel’s Daily Editionby email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address<\/p>\n\n\n\n By signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRegarding your Times of Israel report that described today\u2019s launch as an \u2018impact\u2019 \u2014 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,\u201d he claimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019d appreciate it if you could update your article, as in its current form it does not reflect reality. Alternatively, if you have information that it was indeed a full missile that was not intercepted, I would be glad to be corrected.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I told Aviv that, from what I know from the Israeli military, the impact outside Beit Shemesh was indeed a missile warhead and not just fragments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I added: \u201cThe footage also shows a massive explosion of hundreds of kilograms of explosives from the warhead. Normally, a fragment does not produce such an explosion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n No injuries are reported in Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on Israel, the fourth today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One missile struck an open area just outside Beit Shemesh, first responders say and footage shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sirens had sounded across the Jerusalem area, the West Bank, and parts of southern\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/j6sovAsDwz<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014 Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n A day later, on Wednesday, I received another email, also in Hebrew, regarding the impact just outside Beit Shemesh, from someone identifying themselves as Daniel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSorry for reaching out without a prior introduction, but I assume we will get to know each other well,\u201d he wrote, in a somewhat threatening manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have an urgent request regarding the accuracy of your report on the missile attack on March 10. I would really appreciate a response if possible. There is an inaccurate report from you about the missile attack on March 10, and it\u2019s causing a chain of errors,\u201d Daniel\u2019s email continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you could reply to me tonight\u2026 you would be helping me, many others, and, of course, the State of Israel. And along the way, you would gain a good source.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was indeed a little strange to receive the same question, about something relatively inconsequential, from two different people within a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But I responded, naively: \u201cHi Daniel, can you elaborate on what the problem is?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He replied: \u201cIn the article<\/a> and in your tweet <\/a>you wrote, \u2018One missile struck an open area just outside Beit Shemesh.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHowever, it appears that this was a missile that was intercepted, and its debris and interceptor fragments fell at the scene. No security authority so far has confirmed that it was a missile that was not intercepted and fell in an open area,\u201d he claimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you could correct this tonight, you would be doing me and many others a great favor,\u201d Daniel added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why does such an inconsequential detail matter to these people, I wondered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Half an hour later, Daniel sent me another email: \u201cIf one of you could change everything to interceptor debris, or missile fragments even tonight, it would help a lot,\u201d he persisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I went to sleep without answering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By Thursday morning, Daniel had sent me another email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI would appreciate an update from you as soon as possible, because in the meantime you are already being quoted in The Economist, saying that the IDF confirmed that most of the missiles on Tuesday were intercepted except for one that fell in the Beit Shemesh area,\u201d he said, attaching a screenshot from The Economic Times, an Indian English-language business-focused news site, and not The Economist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI ask again, if you could handle this as soon as possible, it would help us a lot. It\u2019s really important, if possible, still this morning,\u201d Daniel demanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I read through Daniel\u2019s veiled threats, I received another email from an anonymous user: \u201cIs the article about March 10 interception gonna get updated?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moments later, I received a message on the Discord online platform: \u201cIn regards to March 10th. Some sources are saying all the missiles were intercepted on March 10th per IDF. Is that true?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, on X, I saw a user reply to a recent tweet of mine: \u201cThere are people saying that they have received word from you that the missile strike in Beit Shemesh on March 10th was in fact intercepted, is this true or did no such interaction occur?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another X user responded to my post with the video showing the Iranian ballistic missile impact in Beit Shemesh with: \u201cwas there any video of the actual impact.\u201d (Clearly, he didn\u2019t watch the video.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Checking those X accounts, both appeared to be involved in gambling on the Polymarket betting site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As far as I now understand, the emails I received were intended to confirm whether or not a missile had hit Israel on March 10 in order to resolve a prediction<\/a> on Polymarket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Polymarket is one of the largest prediction markets in the world, where users can wager their money on the likelihood of future events, using cryptocurrency, debit or credit cards, and bank transfers. However, there are accusations that the site has been plagued by manipulation and insider trading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The event that these people had bet on was \u201cIran strikes Israel on\u2026?\u201d More than 14 million dollars had been wagered on March 10<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The event that these people had bet on was \u201cIran strikes Israel on\u2026?\u201d More than 14 million dollars had been wagered on March 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rules of the bet state: \u201cThis market will resolve to \u2018Yes\u2019 if Iran initiates a drone, missile, or air strike on Israel\u2019s soil on the listed date in Israel Time (GMT+2). Otherwise, this market will resolve to \u2018No\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there is a clause: \u201cMissiles or drones that are intercepted\u2026 will not be sufficient for a \u2018Yes\u2019 resolution, regardless of whether they land on Israeli territory or cause damage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n My minor report on a missile striking an open area was now in the middle of a betting war, with those who had bet \u201cNo\u201d on an Iranian strike on Israel on March 10 demanding I change my article to ensure they would win big.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More emails arrived in my inbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen will you update the article?\u201d one was titled. The email had no text content, only an image \u2014 a screenshot of my initial interaction with Daniel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Except it did not show my actual response to Daniel, but a fabricated message that I had not written.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHi Daniel, Thank you for noticing, I checked with the IDF Spokesperson and it was indeed intercepted. I sent it now for editing, it will be fixed shortly,\u201d I supposedly wrote. (To be clear, I wrote no such thing.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n I then received a WhatsApp message from someone named Shaked: \u201cCan I ask one question about the impact in Beit Shemesh on the 10th?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, I saw a reply on X to a recent post of mine, with the same fake screenshot of my email exchange with Daniel: \u201cThere\u2019s someone quoting that you replied to their email about making corrections to the below news article about all missile attacks being intercepted by Israel on March 10th. Is this actually true? Are we going to make this correction?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n By this point, it was clear to me why these people were asking about the missile impact, and I took to X and told the gamblers to get a better hobby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This did not stop them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few hours later, a colleague from another media outlet messaged me. He said that someone he knew asked him to ask me to change the report on the missile impact in Beit Shemesh, and that it would be \u201cnegligible\u201d for me if I did make the change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The journalist had no idea why his acquaintance was demanding the change to the article until I told him what I understood was going on. He then confronted the acquaintance, who admitted to placing bets on Polymarket and confirmed my theory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Going further, the acquaintance even offered the journalist compensation, from his winnings, if he managed to convince me to change my report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After a quiet weekend, things escalated further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shortly after midnight between Saturday and Sunday, I started to receive threatening messages in Hebrew on WhatsApp from someone called Haim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou have exactly half an hour to correct your attempt at influence,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDespite the fact that you received countless inquiries \u2014 you insist on leaving it that way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you do not correct this by 01:00 Israel time today, March 15, you are bringing upon yourself damage you have never imagined you would suffer,\u201d he threatened, in a very lengthy message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Haim also attempted to call me via WhatsApp multiple times during the night, before sending me more messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After you make us lose $900,000 we will invest no less than that to finish you<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou have no idea how much you\u2019ve put yourself at risk. Today is the most significant day of your career. You have two choices: either believe that we have the capabilities, and after you make us lose $900,000 we will invest no less than that to finish you. Or end this with money in your pocket, and also earn back the life you had until now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After I didn\u2019t respond, as I was asleep, Haim sent me another series of messages: \u201cYou are choosing to go to war knowing that you will lose your life as you\u2019ve grown accustomed to it \u2014 for nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Sunday morning, he messaged me again: \u201cYou have exactly a few hours left to fix your attempt at influencing [the market]. It would be stupid of you to ignore this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Haim also referred, with specific details, to my ostensible home neighborhood, my parents, and family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you decide to go with your ego and not with your head, you are leaving behind dozens of wealthy people from all over the world who will know that you performed market manipulation and stole from them. They know who you are, you don\u2019t know who they are. It took them less than 5 minutes to find out exactly where you live \u2026 how often you see your lovely parents \u2026 and exactly who your \u2026 brothers and sisters are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBelieve me, you don\u2019t want to be their target. Because you will never, ever earn enough money to pay back even half of those you stole from.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hours later, more messages: \u201cI am requesting a response from you in the next 10 minutes. We offered you to end this quietly with a profit in your pocket and everything disappears. But it seems you think you can stall for time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou made a fatal mistake and you\u2019d better respond to us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI expect a response from you within 9 minutes from now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe will not give up on sums [of money] like these.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne minute remains\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I then received a WhatsApp message from another number, someone posing as a lawyer called Vered. I ignored the message. Then they called me, though the person on the other end sounded awfully like a young man, and not a middle-aged female lawyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the phone, the \u201clawyer\u201d told me that they were contacted by a company in the United States to look into my supposed manipulation on Polymarket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I hung up and contacted the police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Later in the afternoon, Haim messaged me again, this time with the most explicit threat yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou have 90 minutes left to update the lie. If you do this \u2014 you solve in a minute the most serious problem you have caused yourself in life. And you won\u2019t remember me anymore in a week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you decide not to correct it, and leave the lie intact, you will discover enemies who will be willing to pay anything to make your life miserable \u2014 within the framework of the law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd as far as I know, there are also some people who don\u2019t really care about the law, and you\u2019re going to make them lose about 50 times what you\u2019ll ever make.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c86 minutes left. You are the only one responsible for your life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n My time ran out shortly before I headed to the police station to give testimony and provide evidence. The police are now investigating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the early hours of Monday, as I ran to a bomb shelter amid yet another Iranian missile attack, Haim sent me another series of messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou will pay the full price for your irresponsible act.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou have 9 more minutes to save your career. But not a stupid and disturbed child like you will take advantage of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI wish you not to fall asleep tonight and not any night. In any case, it\u2019s not going to be too easy for you in the coming months.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I did not respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contacted by The Times of Israel later on Monday, Polymarket denounced the threats against me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPolymarket condemns the harassment and threats directed at Emanuel Fabian, or anyone else for that matter. This behavior violates our terms of service and has no place on our platform or anywhere else,\u201d a spokesperson for the betting company said in a statement to ToI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPrediction markets depend on the integrity of independent reporting. Attempts to pressure journalists to alter their reporting undermine that integrity and undermine the markets themselves,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The spokesperson did not address questions about whether the company has heard from the Israel Police, whether Polymarket can help identify suspects in the case, whether the platform can take measures to prevent threats or media interference, or whether Polymarket is aware of any similar incidents in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a subsequent statement, posted on X<\/a> later Monday, Polymarket said it had \u201cbanned the accounts for all involved & will pass their info to the relevant authorities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe saga begins<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Polymarket connection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>A colleague makes contact<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The threats escalate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>Giving testimony to the police<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Condemnation by Polymarket<\/h3>\n\n\n\n