A recent analysis by Argyle Consulting Group found that 60% of the most viral posts on X mentioning Iran during the first week of Operation Epic Fury originated from foreign-based accounts posing as American voices. These accounts, according to the intelligence and data firm, used English and U.S. political language to spread negative narratives about the operation, which targets Iranian military forces.
Foreign Accounts Outpace U.S. Users in Anti-Operation Messaging
The study examined 100 highly viral posts, each shared over 10,000 times, between February 28 and March 7, 2026. In total, posts referencing “Iran” generated approximately 98 million posts, nearly 700 million interactions, and an estimated 1.5 trillion potential views.
Foreign-based accounts generated 155.6 million views, surpassing 93.4 million views generated by U.S.-based users. Every foreign post analyzed expressed opposition to the operation, while supportive content originated only from U.S. accounts, signaling a coordinated disinformation effort rather than organic discourse.
Coordination and Cyber Campaigns Linked to Iran-Aligned Groups
Cybersecurity experts highlighted that much of the messaging focused on Israel, accounting for about 42% of observed attacks and claims online. JP Castellanos, director of threat intelligence at Binary Defense, stated the campaign employs doxxing and AI-generated content to influence public perception.
The group Handala, linked by U.S. authorities and cybersecurity firms to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, has claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on U.S. and Israeli targets amid the conflict. Handala and affiliated pro-Russian and Iran-aligned hacktivist networks combine cyber disruptions with psychological and information operations to shape narratives online.
Among the top 10 accounts driving engagement, seven were located outside the United States, including users connected to Russia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and South Asia.
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