The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that in 2025, the year was the deadliest ever for the news media, with 129 workers killed worldwide, of which 84 were killed by Israel alone. This accounts for over two-thirds of the worldwide fatalities and marks the highest number of journalists killed by any government in the world since record-keeping began in 1992.

The CPJ reported that this was due to the "culture of impunity," despite the fact that the majority of the victims were Palestinians. The CPJ also reported that Israeli air strikes in Yemen killed 31 members of the media. The CPJ also reported that 38 of these fatalities were considered "murders" or targeted killings, despite Israeli claims that some of these journalists had ties to armed groups, which the CPJ referred to as "deadly smears."

Outside of the Middle East, the CPJ reported that there were also high fatalities in Sudan, Mexico, and Ukraine due to ongoing conflicts and organized crime.