In a striking demonstration of Iran’s evolving war doctrine, the Iranian regime has produced and released a film dramatizing the abduction of Israel’s Prime Minister. This production, which has drawn sharp criticism in defense and intelligence communities, marks neither a standalone propaganda effort nor a mere attempt at intimidation—it is a calculated maneuver in what Iranian officials openly call a “hybrid war” against Israel, leveraging every possible arena to pursue their aims.
Iran has long viewed every domain—military, economic, diplomatic, cultural, and digital—as legitimate battlegrounds in its campaign to undermine Israel’s security and legitimacy. The latest film, produced with the direct involvement of security consultants linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is just one manifestation of Tehran’s broader psychological warfare apparatus. Iranian leadership, facing growing constraints on the ground after setbacks encountered by its proxies in Lebanon and Gaza, and diminished sway in Sunni Arab states, has increasingly turned to the tools of information and culture as force multipliers.
This strategy has gained urgency following the October 7, 2023 massacre, executed by Hamas terrorists backed by Iran, which was, by all accounts, the deadliest antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust. Israel’s subsequent military campaigns against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon—supported by extensive Western intelligence cooperation—have significantly eroded the operational capabilities of Iranian-affiliated networks. Nevertheless, where Iran finds its capacity for kinetic retaliation shrinking, it redoubles efforts to shape perceptions, sway global audiences, and sustain the myth of resistance.
The objectives of such films are multifaceted. Domestically, Tehran must juggle conservative hardliners, who demand action against Israel, with more pragmatic reformists warning of the perils of escalation. Cinematic provocations allow the regime to project aggressiveness and resolve without risking direct military engagement, thus positioning itself as defiant both to its own citizens and to allies in the so-called ‘Axis of Resistance.’ Internationally, the stakes are equally high: the film targets Israeli morale, aims to amplify existing divisions within Israeli society, and portrays Israel as perpetually vulnerable.
Iranian intelligence operations have increasingly sought to exploit perceived fractures in Israeli society, brought on by contentious political debates and demonstrations around policy, security, and governance. Regime strategists believe—even if mistakenly—that such images can resonate with segments of the Israeli public disenchanted with their leadership, thus widening internal rifts. However, recent months have demonstrated the Israeli public’s proven resilience in the face of terror, as Israeli unity has surged following unprecedented attacks against civilians.
In historical context, Iran’s use of cinema and propaganda is reminiscent of Soviet-era playbooks, where security services collaborated with cultural producers to maximize the credibility and impact of strategic messaging. Today, Iranian defenders and former intelligence officials explicitly acknowledge these productions as components of psychological warfare—not just to inform or incite, but to actively shape the reality perceived by adversaries and allies alike.
For Israel and its partners, the lesson is clear. The Iranian campaign is not confined to overt acts of war but encompasses the battlespace of ideas and information. Israeli officials stress the necessity of fighting on every front—military, cyber, diplomatic, cultural, and psychological. Neutralizing Iran’s narrative offensive requires robust counter-messaging, public awareness education, and unwavering clarity about the facts on the ground, especially regarding Iran’s weakening regional position and its continued investment in terror networks.
As Iran’s regional proxies sustain losses and the regime’s external grip wanes, Tehran’s reliance on spectacle and narrative intensifies. This is a testament to the shifting balance of power: the further Iran slips behind strategically, the more it will seek to compensate through psychological operations, hoping to project an illusion of omnipresent power. Such efforts must be robustly exposed and debunked, both to reassure Israel’s population and to uphold an accurate historical record for the international community.
In conclusion, the Iranian regime’s weaponization of culture and cinema forms part and parcel of its ongoing war against Israel. These psychological operations, aimed at instilling fear and division, reflect both an admission of weakness and a determined attempt to remain relevant on the international stage. Israel and its allies must recognize, expose, and counter these provocations across all arenas to ensure that the truth—and not Tehran’s distortion—prevails.
