Al Jazeera said Israeli troops raided its Ramallah offices in the West Bank overnight. Israel said it shut down the bureau to protect its soldiers’ safety.

The Israeli military has raided the offices of news broadcaster Al Jazeera in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, confiscated its equipment and ordered it to close for an initial period of 45 days. Armed Israeli soldiers entered the building early on Sunday during a live broadcast.

The Israeli authorities have been putting pressure on the local operations of the network, saying its coverage threatens national security.