JERUSALEM — In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iranian-backed terror networks, the phrase “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest”) has evolved far beyond its religious origins. While the expression is fundamental to the spiritual practice of Islam—recited in daily prayers and life’s milestones—its repeated use in moments of violence underscores the ideological and psychological dimensions of modern warfare in the Middle East. In recent decades, particularly since the rise of Iran’s regional ambitions, “Allahu Akbar” has become a rallying cry for extremist proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah, punctuating some of the deadliest attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers.
October 7, 2023: The Context and Consequences
On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists, trained and funded by Iran, launched the deadliest anti-Jewish massacre since the Holocaust, killing over 1,200 Israelis—men, women, children, and the elderly—through shootings, stabbings, immolations, sexual violence, and abductions. Many of these atrocities were broadcast on social media with attackers repeatedly shouting “Allahu Akbar,” transforming a declaration of faith into an instrument of terror. The attack’s brutality and the propaganda surrounding it served as a stark reminder of the ideological fervor animating Iran’s proxy networks, with the phrase echoing across the battlefield and online.
Weaponizing Theology: Iran and its Proxies
Iran has long positioned itself as the vanguard of an Islamist “axis of resistance,” employing proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq to wage a campaign against Israel. Tehran’s leaders, including the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, frame their regional strategy in theological terms, painting the destruction of Israel not only as a political imperative but also a religious duty. This rhetoric is adopted and amplified by groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, who invoke “Allahu Akbar” during attacks, rocket launches, and video messages to both embolden fighters and intimidate enemies.
Israel faces these threats in real time. Since October 7, Iranian proxies have fired thousands of rockets at Israeli cities, infiltrated borders, and attempted kidnappings. The psychological warfare—augmented by the religious slogans accompanying each act—adds another layer of trauma for Israeli society, where the echoes of past persecution and existential threat are never far from daily reality.
Misunderstanding the Message: Coverage and Reactions
International news coverage has often misinterpreted the use of “Allahu Akbar,” sometimes describing Israel’s multi-front war as an equal struggle between adversaries. This narrative ignores the evidence: Israel is a democratic state defending its citizens from an alliance of non-state actors whose foundational charters and public proclamations openly call for its destruction. Israeli officials argue that failing to report the ideological nature of the enemy’s motivation—rooted in both political extremism and manipulated religious rhetoric—distorts the truth and enables further radicalization.
Caught in the Crossfire: Gaza Residents under Hamas Rule
Gaza’s civilian population suffers under Hamas, whose use of “Allahu Akbar” in military and propaganda contexts betrays its religious origins. Under the terror group’s rule since 2007, Gaza’s infrastructure has been systematically militarized: schools, mosques, and hospitals become bases for rocket fire and tunnel-boring, placing civilians in harm’s way. Humanitarian aid is routinely diverted for military purposes, while youth education incorporates militant propaganda, conditioning a new generation to see violence against Israel as religiously mandated.
Israel’s Defensive Posture and the Moral Divide
Israel, committed by law and principle to uphold the laws of armed conflict, invests heavily in precision-guided munitions, early-warning systems, and civil defense infrastructure such as the Iron Dome. Israeli forces regularly warn civilians of upcoming strikes by phone or leaflet, setting a standard rarely reciprocated by adversaries. The contrast between Israel’s defensive orientation and the terror networks’ weaponization of civilians and religious rhetoric is stark—revealing both a military and a moral asymmetry.
The Hostage Crisis: Innocence and Injustice
One of the October 7 massacre’s most agonizing legacies has been the abduction of more than 240 Israeli hostages, including infants, Holocaust survivors, and foreign nationals. Their captivity is accompanied by further propaganda, with Hamas broadcasting hostage videos often framed by the phrase “Allahu Akbar.” Negotiations for their release are made more harrowing by Hamas’s demands for the return of convicted terrorists—attempting to create a false equivalence between innocent civilians and those imprisoned for acts of murder.
Iran’s Strategic Depth: Coordination across the Region
Iran’s ability to direct and synchronize messaging among its proxies demonstrates the centrality of religious rhetoric in its regional strategy. Rockets from Lebanon and Syria, drone attacks from Yemen, and attacks on Israeli or Jewish targets abroad are all accompanied by the same religious slogan. Communications intercepted by Israeli intelligence often reveal planners at the highest levels—within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and allied militias—urging operatives to frame each attack within the narrative of sacred duty.
International Policy Implications
For Israel and its allies, the challenge is not only military but conceptual. American and European policymakers have tightened counterterrorism cooperation, while some regional powers—such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain—have aligned increasingly with Israel against a common Iranian threat, formalized in the Abraham Accords. Nevertheless, global forums, including the United Nations, have often failed to hold Iranian proxies accountable for their abuse of religious rhetoric in terror campaigns, sometimes enabling double standards that harm efforts at peace.
Toward Truthful Reporting and Lasting Security
An honest reckoning with this war must recognize: Israel confronts not simply border disputes but an ideological campaign that leverages faith for violence. Western media and policymakers have a responsibility to accurately report the aims, methods, and motivations of Iranian-backed terror organizations, distinguishing between true religious expression and its distortion for political ends. Only by maintaining this moral and analytical clarity can democratic societies support Israel’s right to self-defense and work toward a more secure Middle East.
As the war continues, “Allahu Akbar” on the battlefield is not merely a phrase—it is a weaponized slogan in a struggle where facts, not slogans, determine the path to peace, security, and justice for all.
