Iran-linked influence campaign pushes anti-Israel messaging disguised as US voices

A caller study of societal media activity during nan opening days of Operation Epic Fury suggests that overmuch of nan online backlash and anti-Israel contented whitethorn not person been driven by Americans astatine all.

The study identified recurring narratives pushed by foreign-based accounts, including claims that nan cognition was a "betrayal of MAGA," "highly unpopular pinch nan American people," and carried retired "on behalf of Israel."

Sixty percent of nan astir viral posts connected X mentioning "Iran" during nan first week of nan cognition originated from accounts based extracurricular nan United States — contempt often presenting themselves arsenic American voices, according to investigation conducted by Argyle Consulting Group, a backstage intelligence and information study firm.

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"These aren’t conscionable random opinions," Eran Vasker, CEO and co-founder of Argyle Consulting Group, told Fox News Digital. "What we’re seeing is sermon that looks American — written successful English, utilizing U.S. governmental connection — but is really coming from extracurricular nan country… Almost intolerable for a regular personification to detect," Vasker said, explaining that nan accounts "look very American" and reflector home governmental connection and debates.

Local groups and residents speak retired against nan U.S./Israeli warfare against Iran during a section protestation successful Townsend Park connected Sunday, March 1, 2026 successful Albany, N.Y.  (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)

The study examined 100 highly X viral posts — each pinch much than 10,000 shares — betwixt Feb. 28 and March 7. In total, posts containing nan connection "Iran" generated 98 cardinal posts, 696.4 cardinal interactions, and an estimated 1.5 trillion imaginable views, making it 1 of nan largest online accusation events connected record. 

Foreign accounts unsocial generated 155.6 cardinal views, compared to 93.4 cardinal from U.S.-based accounts, outpacing them by much than 60 cardinal views successful nan sample.

Even much striking, each azygous foreign-based station successful nan dataset was antagonistic toward nan operation, while nan only supportive contented came from U.S.-based users, Argyle found. 

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David Chung, organizing head astatine nan People's Forum Inc., sets up successful Union Square to protestation nan warfare pinch Iran successful New York, N.Y., connected Saturday, March 7, 2026. He carries signs pinch nan website domain for nan Party for Socialism and Liberation. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

JP Castellanos, Binary Defense head of threat intelligence and a erstwhile personnel of U.S. Central Command’s Active Cyber Defense Team, said overmuch of nan activity is focused connected Israel and combines disruption pinch messaging. "About 42% of nan attacks that we’re seeing aliases nan claims that we’re seeing online are directed toward Israel," Castellanos said.

He besides pointed to doxxing campaigns and AI-generated videos "trying to fundamentally style nan accusation space."

Much of nan challenge, Castellanos said, is distinguishing existent cyber incidents from inflated online claims by hacktivist groups seeking attention.

"A batch of times, these are conscionable claims that they put online," he said. 

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The People's Forum Inc. group up signs successful Union Square to protestation nan warfare pinch Iran successful New York, N.Y., connected Saturday, March 7, 2026. The signs are marked pinch nan website for nan Party for Socialism and Liberation. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

Researchers said nan scale, consistency and geographic dispersed of nan messaging constituent to a coordinated effort alternatively than integrated world debate.

Cyber threat analysts opportunity that online communicative run is unfolding alongside broader activity by pro-Iranian and aligned groups crossed nan integer space.

One of nan astir salient groups to look successful nan existent conflict, Castellanos said, is Handala, an Iran-linked hacking cognition that has claimed work for attacks connected some U.S. and Israeli targets.Among nan astir influential voices driving engagement, 7 of nan apical 10 accounts were based extracurricular nan United States, including accounts linked to Russia, nan United Arab Emirates, nan United Kingdom and South Asia.

U.S. authorities and cybersecurity firms person linked Handala to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, describing it arsenic portion of a broader effort combining cyberattacks pinch psychological and accusation operations.

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Members of nan Party for Socialism and Liberation filmed children supporting nan authorities successful Iran, during a protestation connected Saturday, March 7, 2026, successful Washington, D.C. (Asra Q. Nomani/Fox News Digital)

The cybersecurity researchers told Fox News Digital Handala is portion of a wider web of Iran-aligned and pro-Russian hacktivist groups that person mobilized since nan commencement of nan war, blending disruptive cyber activity pinch narrative-shaping campaigns online.

Fox News Digital reached retired to X aggregate times, providing a database of nan accounts successful mobility per their request, but has not yet received a response.