JERUSALEM — Israel has charged two Palestinian journalists working for an Iranian TV station with passing classified information to the enemy, alleging they reported the beginning of the ground incursion into Gaza while the information was still under military censorship.

An indictment Tuesday said the pair knew their broadcast for Iran's Arabic-language Al-Alam TV could endanger Israeli soldiers by giving Hamas militants forewarning of the operation.

The charges could carry lengthy jail terms.

The lawyer for the journalists, Muhammad Dahleh, said they did not know they were breaking any law. He said Israeli authorities are picking on the journalists because they are Palestinians working for a TV station from Iran, one of Israel's staunchest enemies.

Iran condemned the detention of Al-Alam journalists, saying it was against freedom of speech, state media reported. Iran said it holds the Israelis responsible for the lives of the journalists.