12-Day War Reveals New Pattern of Psychological Warfare

As the recent 12-day military confrontation between Iran and Israel concludes, it has been revealed that both nations waged an unprecedented scale of psychological warfare using artificial intelligence (AI) and social media. The New York Times characterized this conflict as "a new era of psychological warfare," analyzing that both sides followed Russia's information operation model while maximizing sophistication with cutting-edge AI technology.

Iran sent text messages written in Hebrew to Israeli citizens' mobile phones, spreading warnings that "not even shelters are safe." Conversely, Israel produced videos targeting Iranians featuring a virtual female announcer speaking in Persian.

Flood of Deepfakes and Disinformation

The most notable aspect was the speed and sophistication of AI-generated false content. Videos introducing Iran's Revolutionary Guards Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani as a Mossad agent and footage of explosions at Tehran's Evin Prison spread across social media immediately after the attack began, recording millions of views.

Composite images of leaders from both countries, wreckage of non-existent downed fighter jets, scenes of Ben Gurion Airport destruction, and even footage of fictional female pilot prisoners appeared. These contents carried clear intentions to demoralize the opposing nation's citizens and manipulate public opinion.

The psychological warfare continued even after the ceasefire agreement. Accounts claiming to be intelligence agencies approached Iranians promising financial support and medical services, and actively conducted public opinion operations by immediately responding to popular social media posts.

Iran's Internal Political Divisions Deepen

The Financial Times reported that conflicts between conservatives and reformists within Iran have intensified after the war's conclusion. With senior commanders killed and nuclear facilities damaged by Israeli and American operations, both sides are shifting blame to each other.

Conservative hardliners have focused their attacks on reform-leaning President Masoud Pezeshkian. The trigger was President Pezeshkian's attempt to downplay the meaning of the "Death to America" slogan during an interview with an American conservative host last week. Some hardline lawmakers even suggested the possibility of impeachment, stating that "the direction of parliament could change."

Meanwhile, Iran's diplomatic leadership maintains its traditional position. They refuse to relinquish their right to enrich uranium domestically in any new negotiations, which serves as the biggest obstacle in negotiations with the United States.

Implications for South Korea

This Iran-Israel psychological warfare provides important lessons for South Korea. With North Korea already proficient in cyberattacks and disinformation dissemination, the destructive power could increase exponentially when combined with AI technology.

Particularly in societies like South Korea with high social media usage rates and rapid information circulation, there is significant risk of deepfakes or AI-generated fake news spreading instantly. This is why strengthening digital literacy and advancing fact-checking systems at both governmental and societal levels is urgent.

Future Outlook [AI Analysis]

AI-powered psychological warfare in the Middle East is likely to become a standard tactic. As technological barriers to entry lower, not only states but also non-state actors are expected to employ similar methods.

Internal political conflict within Iran is expected to continue for the time being. Even if the Pezeshkian government pursues dialogue and negotiation, resistance from conservative hardliners and their non-negotiable stance on the nuclear program will remain obstacles.

The international community is at a point where new norms and technical countermeasures are needed to respond to the spread of AI-based disinformation. This case clearly demonstrates that future warfare will unfold in the domains of information and perception as much as in physical confrontation.