Senior Israeli security officials confirm that since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack, Israel has made it a strategic objective to target “engineers of perception” and psychological warfare operatives in the Middle East.
According to these officials, the cognitive arena has a highly dangerous potential. These actors have been inciting mass audiences, spreading false accusations and fabricating narratives. They systematically delegitimize Israel by accusing it of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Some of these figures served as military spokespeople and were well-known media personalities, while others operated behind the scenes, often anonymously, forming the backbone of the Axis of Resistance’s propaganda machinery, led by Iran.
Their strategy was designed to influence both Iran’s adversaries and the Arab public sphere. They leveraged a wide range of media platforms and social networks to amplify their messaging across both digital and traditional media ecosystems, in service of pro-Iranian narratives.
During the war, Israel succeeded in targeting and eliminating several of the most prominent voices within Iran’s propaganda system, figures who had significant visibility across the Middle East.
Their removal has substantially reduced the impact of the disinformation campaigns they once propagated.
Ali Mohammad Naeini
On March 20, 2026, Israel eliminated Ali Mohammad Naeini, spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Naeini, 69, was a central figure who had served as the official spokesman and head of public relations for the IRGC since July 2024.
His role extended far beyond conventional media duties, encompassing cognitive warfare, message management and reinforcing the organization’s internal and external narratives. During the 12-day war in June 2025 and the ongoing conflict, Naeini emerged as a leading architect of Iran’s psychological warfare efforts, framing the confrontation as a multidimensional struggle, military, psychological and technological.
He emphasized the critical importance of imagery and narrative dominance. His elimination represents a significant blow to the IRGC’s messaging capabilities and psychological influence.
Abu Ali al-Askari
On March 16, 2026, Israel eliminated Abu Ali al-Askari, the spokesperson for the Hezbollah Brigades militia in Iraq. He was considered one of the senior figures responsible for shaping the militia’s central messaging on regional political struggles.
His role extended beyond military messaging into Iraqi domestic politics. The militia he represented is part of the pro-Iranian camp in Iraq, often opposing both the Iraqi government and efforts at regional normalization with Gulf states.
Al-Askari also led campaigns against the American presence in the Gulf and was viewed as a key instrument in steering political processes to entrench Iranian influence in Iraq.
Hudhaifa Al-Kahlout (“Abu Obeida”)
On Aug. 30, 2025, Israel eliminated Hudhaifa al-Kahlout, known as “Abu Obeida,” the spokesperson of Hamas’s military wing. His elimination marked a major operational and intelligence achievement, causing confusion and embarrassment within Hamas’s leadership.
Abu Obeida was not merely a spokesman; he headed Hamas’s entire propaganda and psychological influence apparatus for many years. His role was central to shaping the organization’s narrative warfare. He oversaw a vast propaganda network composed of approximately 1,500 operatives, which was gradually built over time. His removal significantly disrupted Hamas’s ability to conduct coordinated information campaigns.
Mohammad Afif
On Nov. 17, 2024, Israel eliminated Mohammad Afif, Lebanese Hezbollah’s head of communications and chief of its media apparatus. A close associate of slain Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, Afif played a critical role in managing the organization’s messaging and filled a sensitive communications gap following previous losses.
Naji Maher Abu Saif (“Abu Hamza”)
On March 18, 2025, Israel eliminated Naji Maher Abu Saif, known as “Abu Hamza,” spokesperson for Saraya al-Quds, the military wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. He was deeply involved in intensive propaganda and psychological warfare efforts, including messaging related to Israeli hostages.
Strategic impact
Senior security officials emphasize that these individuals significantly shaped public opinion, both in Israel and across the Arab world, as well as among decision-makers. Their elimination was therefore of critical importance.
These targeted killings have created a substantial communications vacuum within the Axis of Resistance, impairing its ability to mobilize audiences, coordinate messaging and synchronize between its military and media infrastructures.
In effect, these operations were not merely military actions. They directly degraded the narrative capabilities of the entire axis, leaving it without key figures capable of amplifying its messages. This has weakened coordination, reduced psychological influence and undermined the maintenance of internal support across the region.
According to security assessments, the cumulative impact of these eliminations is likely to diminish the Axis of Resistance’s ability to impose false narratives across the Middle East and shape the perceptions of the Arab public.
Originally published by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.
