Iran and Hezbollah Mentor Terrorist Organizations on Propaganda: The Hamas and Islamic Jihad Case

One of the major areas terrorist organizations operate to influence their enemy’s public opinion is
propaganda. This war is being waged via traditional media and social media. The last two rounds of
hostilities in Gaza Operation Protective Edge (2014) and Guardian of the Walls (2021) manifested the
importance of propaganda for either Israel or Hamas. The latter, developed propaganda capabilities, beef
up its presence on social media platforms and promote its narrative through said platforms. In recent
years it managed to build a body of knowledge and acquire a propaganda tool kit, in large part thanks to
mentorship by pro-Iranian media outlets, some of which are controlled by Hezbollah (either in Lebanon
or Gaza), or via online guidance by the latter. A deeper analysis of these media outlet mentors reveals an
extensive network of media outlets spread over more than 30 countries and enjoys Iranian funding.