Inside the Digital Illusions of the Iran–Israel War

We’re not watching a war. We’re watching a screenplay produced by empires, edited by AI, and sold as reality.

In June 2025, a now-viral image of Tel Aviv being obliterated by a swarm of missiles flooded social media. It looked real—devastating, cinematic, urgent.

But it was fake.
According to BBC Verify journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh  , the image was AI-generated. And yet, it ricocheted across the internet, amassing millions of impressions before truth had a chance to catch up.
A second video claiming to show the aftermath of Iranian strikes on Israel was traced back to footage from entirely different conflicts. It was, quite literally, yesterday’s war dressed in today’s fear.

This is the battlefield now:
Not just land. Not just air.
But perception.

How the West Writes the Script

While both sides—Iran and Israel—have weaponized visuals and emotion, the West plays a more insidious role. Its manipulation wears a tie.

In The Guardian, Nesrine Malik writes that Western leaders offer calls for “diplomacy” without ever addressing the root causes. Israel’s strikes are framed as “deterrence.” Iran’s retaliation is “aggression.” Civilian suffering is background noise.

Even so-called restraint is scripted.
Reuters reported that Britain, France, and Germany urged Iran to return to negotiations—yet all three simultaneously approved arms shipments to Israel.
Their message is not peace.
It’s obedience dressed as diplomacy. Basically, they are hypocrites

Meanwhile, editorials like this one in Time express “grave alarm” at escalating tensions. But they stop short of condemning the architects of escalation. The West has a talent for watching wars it helped create—then gasping at the fire.

Not Just States—Extremists Are Watching Too

This conflict is not unfolding in a vacuum.
ISIS, through its al-Naba publication, is framing both Iran and Israel as enemies of true Islam—using the chaos to stoke hatred, attract followers, and promise vengeance.
They don’t need to fire a shot.
They just wait for our illusions to do the work.

Truth Isn’t the First Casualty—It’s the Target

So what happens when truth is no longer collateral damage, but the goal of destruction?

– A missile hits, and we ask not where, but which version.
– A death toll rises, and we wonder: is it verified? real? current?
– Leaders speak of peace while voting for war behind closed doors.

In this fog, apathy becomes defense. Confusion becomes allegiance.
And war becomes a franchise—a story you consume with your morning scroll.

How to Reclaim Your Mind

• Verify before you amplify: Use tools like reverse image search, metadata extractors, and independent fact-checkers like AFP and BBC Verify. Search multiple sources.
• Ask who benefits from the narrative you’re being sold.
• Notice omissions: If Gaza disappears from the map while Tel Aviv gets front-page coverage, ask why.
• Resist false binaries: You can oppose both regimes and still demand truth.

We live in mad mad world

You don’t have to pick a side.
You don’t have to parrot the scripts of Tehran or Tel Aviv.
But you do have to stay awake.

Because if they steal your attention…
They’ve already won.