Iran has been accused of deploying fake accounts on the social media platform X in an attempt to erode U.S. support for Israel's military actions against the Iranian regime. This effort also aimed to dissuade American involvement in the conflict. Despite the significant reach of these activities, they ultimately failed to achieve their intended impact.
According to Breitbart, an official inquiry conducted by Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, as reported in Israel Hayom, revealed that during Operation Rising Lion, at least 100 counterfeit accounts were identified on X. These accounts were systematically disseminating Tehran's strategic narratives.
The investigation highlighted that Iran's efforts extended beyond mere disinformation, as they sought to glorify Iranian achievements while fabricating Israeli setbacks. Substantial resources were dedicated to influencing audiences within both Israel and the United States.
The analysis scrutinized approximately 100 accounts on X, which exhibited unmistakable signs of automated activity rather than human engagement. These accounts operated continuously, devoid of typical human rest patterns, and produced content at an extraordinary pace, posting thousands of messages daily. The content shared by these accounts often appeared identical or strikingly similar, suggesting a coordinated bot operation. This network ultimately disseminated 241,712 posts, reaching millions globally.
The network also propagated antisemitic narratives, targeting the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and Jewish Americans, accusing them of controlling U.S. decision-making. These themes echoed sentiments from American isolationist movements. However, the research indicated that Iranian bots did not directly collaborate with genuine American opposition voices.
While there was considerable vocal opposition to the war from real individuals online and across both left- and right-wing media, polling data suggested that anti-war sentiments remained marginal. Americans largely supported Israel's military efforts and President Donald Trump's airstrikes, which were confined to Iran's nuclear facilities.
Joel B. Pollak, Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot, has authored several works, including "Trump 2.0: The Most Dramatic First 100 Days in Presidential History" and "The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trumps Presidency." He is a recipient of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship.
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