A Kan 11 investigation has uncovered coordinated activity by Iranian, Qatari, and Turkish bot networks that targeted Israel before October 7, went dormant, and reactivated in 2026 against the current government. Data shows that 36% of commenters on Likud posts and 33% on Yashar ("Yashar") party posts are bots, some impersonating former Likud supporters. The report attributes the networks to foreign actors, not Israeli political groups.
The Kan 11 investigation, reported Sunday, details the lifecycle of foreign bot networks targeting Israeli social media. The networks allegedly waged influence campaigns before October 7, 2023, pushing a narrative that Israel instigated the Hamas attack. After a period of silence, they resumed operations in 2026, this time targeting the current government. The report cites data from social media analysis showing high bot penetration on Likud and Yashar party pages, with bots often posing as disillusioned former Likud supporters. The findings add to mounting evidence of foreign interference in Israeli political discourse, which The Zioneer has previously covered. The specific actors behind the bot networks remain identified only by national affiliation; no individual operators were named.
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