Foreign State Media & Pro-Terror Accounts Drive Claims of "Genocide" in Lebanon
Analysis of 1.1 million posts reveals Russian state media and pro-terror accounts amplified "genocide" narratives targeting Western audiences during Israel's military response to Hezbollah
Jewish Onliner conducted a social media analysis tracking the keywords “genocide” and “genocidal” paired with “Lebanon” across the X platform from February 28 through April 12, 2026. The analysis identified approximately 1.1 million posts using these keywords during the six-week period, generating 5.4 million total engagements and tens of billions of potential views.
The investigation found that several of the top amplifiers of these narratives were non-U.S.-based individuals linked to Iran’s state apparatus and Russian state media. Taken together, the pattern suggests a coordinated foreign effort to shape Western social media discourse around Israel’s military operations, likely aimed at provoking the same overwhelming outrage Israel faced during the height of its campaign to destroy Hamas and secure the release of the Israeli hostages in Gaza.
The Iranian Regime’s Academic Envoy
Among the most prominent amplifiers was Seyed Mohammad Marandi, a professor at the University of Tehran with extensive ties to Iran’s power structure. Marandi served as an advisor to Iran’s nuclear negotiating team and maintains close proximity to the regime’s decision-making apparatus. His father, Alireza Marandi, served as former Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s personal physician.
Russia Today’s Bureau Chief in Lebanon
Steve Sweeney, based in Lebanon and serving as Russia's state media outlet RT's Lebanon bureau chief, also ranked among the top amplifiers. Sweeney previously worked as international editor for the socialist newspaper The Morning Star and currently serves as a regular contributor to Al Mayadeen, a Hezbollah-affiliated media outlet. In July 2025, Sweeney was detained at Heathrow by UK counterterrorism police and questioned about his alleged links to Russian officials and Hezbollah.
Pro-Hamas Digital Propagandist
Zei Squirrel, an anonymous account operator with hundreds of thousands of followers across multiple platforms, ranked among the top amplifiers of genocide narratives related to Israel’s military response to Hezbollah. According to investigative reporting from Pirate Wires, Zei Squirrel operates as one of the most prolific pro-Hamas propaganda accounts online.
Other Top Viral Amplifiers
Other prominent amplifiers in the network included Nick Fuentes, who according to analysis from watchdog groups has received notable foreign amplification of his content; Philip Proudfoot, a U.K.-based activist whose X account indicates that he is partially based in Beirut; and AnnaChetConcreteisland, based in England.
Foreign Actors Shaping the Narrative
By leveraging academic credentials, state media infrastructure, and algorithmic advantage, foreign actors appear to have transformed localized content into a billions-view phenomenon. The network's reach into Western discourse during active military operations raises questions about whether hostile state actors have developed sophisticated playbooks for narrative capture—and whether existing platform safeguards may be insufficient against coordinated campaigns by multiple foreign adversaries operating in concert.