Daily Alert Archives

Iran Challenges Israel's Messages of Victory over Hizbullah

(Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs) Aviram Bellaishe - Iran knows that the ceasefire in Lebanon is critical to salvaging what remains of Hizbullah. The Iranians know that, from a propaganda standpoint, they must contend with the scenes of devastation in Lebanon, the destruction of Hizbullah's chain of command, and the pulverizing of much of its missile and rocket arsenals. Hence, the most important message in the Iranian propaganda strategy is equivalency. In Iran's script, Hizbullah was not defeated, just as Israel did not win; the central narrative is that "Israel bombs Beirut - and Hizbullah bombs Tel Aviv," as Hizbullah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has declared. The Iranians portray Israel as signing a ceasefire agreement due to capitulation, and haltingly returning Israel's northern residents to their homes after finding itself unable to destroy and disarm Hizbullah. They assert that "the nightmares about an October 7-type ground invasion by Hizbullah will accompany the northern settlers every day and every hour." According to Iran, the agreement is a temporary one, a catalyst for Hizbullah's rebuilding and rearming by its Iranian patron alongside the combat experience it has gained. The writer, vice president for strategy, security, and communications at the Jerusalem Center, has served in senior government positions for over 25 years.
2024-12-03 00:00:00
Full Article