Hybrid Warfare Redefined: Iran–Israel’s Missile Duels and Digital Propaganda Clash

According to Saed News, what began on June 13 with Israel’s surprise airstrikes against Iranian nuclear, military and civilian sites quickly evolved into a three‑fold confrontation: kinetic warfare, a “hashtag war” on social platforms and a battle for public morale. Israel’s initial assault—framed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “preemptive” measure—was met by a relentless Iranian counteroffensive of hundreds of missiles and drones, testing and breaching the vaunted Iron Dome system across 22 separate waves.

In parallel, the media battlefield came alive. Tehran’s Telegram channels disseminated stylized launch footage worthy of a Hollywood production, while Israeli influencers transformed bomb‑shelter selfies into icons of resilience. Ordinary citizens, armed with smartphones, became impromptu war correspondents, their real‑time videos and memes shaping international perceptions as powerfully as any military communiqué.

Yet the deepest conflict unfolded in minds. In Tel Aviv, the sirens’ wail shook long‑cherished notions of invulnerability; across West Asia, capitals from Riyadh to Ankara recalibrated their strategic calculus after witnessing Iran strike from its own territory. This psychological dimension—leveraging fear, pride and digital reach—underscored the conflict’s true innovation.

A subsequent discourse analysis of Hebrew‑language channels revealed three competing narratives: a pro‑Netanyahu faction extolling military supremacy, a fragmented opposition critiquing leadership failures, and a marginal pro‑Iran voice celebrating Tehran’s deterrent success. These overlapping storylines demonstrated that modern warfare now hinges equally on missiles, media and the manipulation of perceptions.

As Tehran and Jerusalem assess lessons learned, it is clear that future clashes will demand mastery of all three realms—physical, virtual and psychological—to secure both battlefield victories and the narratives that follow.