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Echoes in the Dark: The Covert Battles Shaping Middle Eastern Narratives

In today’s Middle East, the conflict is as much a battle of ideas and perceptions as it is one of military engagements. Beyond the visible state propaganda from countries like Iran, the region is characterised by covert influence operations designed to manipulate public perception, both within the Middle East and globally. At Ghost Shift, as experts in influence tradecraft, we specialise in analysing the covert tactics that shape these narratives, identifying and deploying the means to successfully counter or disrupt them.



Iran’s Covert Influence Network: Digital Manipulation and Proxy Media


Iran has long invested in covert influence operations, using a combination of cyber manipulation, proxy forces, and media outlets to promote its agenda. Hassan Rahimpour Azghadi plays a key role in broadcasting overt ideological messages, but much of Iran’s real power lies in its ability to covertly influence digital landscapes and grassroots networks.


Iran uses platforms like social media to spread disinformation, often through inauthentic accounts, fake news, and orchestrated campaigns. These covert actions aim to deepen internal divisions within target countries and shape regional opinions in favour of Iran’s geopolitical ambitions. Iran’s sophisticated use of proxy groups like Hezbollah, which control media outlets in countries such as Lebanon and Iraq, further expands its reach. These proxies not only carry out military and political objectives but also serve as vital conduits for spreading Iranian-aligned narratives​.



The Saudi-Qatar Media Rivalry: A Covert Propaganda Showdown


Beyond Iran, the Middle East has other key players engaged in covert influence operations. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have become masters of covert propaganda through their use of powerful media channels and hidden influence tactics. Saudi Arabia’s media, notably Al Arabiya, and Qatar’s Al Jazeera both serve as tools for shaping regional discourse in ways that suit their respective governments.


Saudi Arabia’s influence extends covertly into the realm of social media manipulation, often deploying troll farms and bot armies to sway public opinion on regional issues like the Yemen war or relations with Israel. These tactics, while not always visible, help shape domestic and global perceptions of Saudi’s foreign policies.


Qatar, through its vast media network and diplomatic ties, also engages in covert efforts to bolster its influence. Beyond the overt news coverage of Al Jazeera, Qatar has been linked to cyber operations and political lobbying that subtly manipulate global narratives in its favour. Qatar’s unique positioning, aligning itself with Islamist movements and using its media empire to support those causes, gives it a distinct role in the region’s propaganda game​.



A New Era of Conflict: The Rise of Covert Influence Operations


As the power struggle across the Middle East intensifies, it is clear that covert influence operations will continue to shape the region's future. From digital warfare to proxy media, states are using an array of subtle but powerful tools to influence opinions and destabilise their enemies.


At Ghost Shift, we have deep expertise in shaping human behaviour. We utilise influence as well as cultural abd linguistic expertise to deploy strategic influence campaigns as well as identifying and countering the contrary narratives. The influence battle is no longer about overt state propaganda alone—it's about the covert tactics that shape minds and shift public perception in ways that go undetected. The future of Middle Eastern conflict will be fought in the shadows, and the battlefield will increasingly be one of information.

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