Press TV’s newly-launched Hebrew service sparks buzz and unease in Israeli media circles

Press TV Website Staff

Press TV’s Hebrew service has sparked concern in Israeli media circles, widely seen as part of Iran’s strategic effort to influence Israeli public opinion amid heightened narrative warfare.

Since its official launch late last month, the Hebrew-language service has drawn significant attention from Israeli media, with many pundits offering observations bordering on fear and paranoia.

The Hebrew-language service of Press TV, the leading international media network affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) World Service, was launched late last month to reach Hebrew-speaking audiences worldwide.

The service is accessible through an active X account (@PresstvHebrew) and a dedicated Telegram channel (@PresstvHebrew), with a full website scheduled for launch in the coming months.

According to Ahmad Noroozi, director of IRIB World Service, the channel’s primary mission is to expose facts that Israeli media attempts to suppress, especially in the light of the strict censorship imposed on Hebrew-language media in the occupied territories during the recent 12-day war.

The launch of the Hebrew service came after a resolution by Iran’s Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, which directed IRIB to establish an international Hebrew-language television network.

The council, headed by President Masoud Pezeshkian, said the initiative aims to counter propaganda from the Zionist regime and its affiliated media, strengthen Iran’s media diplomacy, and offer a more accurate portrayal of regional events.

Since its launch, Israeli media outlets have gone into a tizzy, framing it within the context of a “narrative war” and as a direct attempt by the Iranian media to sway Israeli settler society.

For example, the Israeli news website Walla published a report titled “Iran Launches a Hebrew TV Channel, Bypassing Netanyahu and Speaking Directly to Israelis.”

The report described the Hebrew-language channel as part of “Tehran’s propaganda efforts” designed to insert Iranian narratives into the Hebrew media landscape without intermediaries.

“The establishment of a Hebrew-language broadcasting network represents an unusual attempt by Iran to address the Israeli public directly, beyond its digital activity on social media platforms,” read the report.

“Israeli sources assess that the channel is expected to serve as a full propaganda tool — operated by Iran’s government broadcasting corporation (IRIB) — aiming to shape narratives that favor the interests of the regime in Tehran. Iran already operates English, Arabic, and French-language channels — such as Press TV and Al Alam — which the regime uses to spread messages abroad.”

The Israeli newspaper Maariv emphasized in a detailed article that Iran’s Hebrew network is a “propaganda tool” operated by Iran’s state broadcaster, aiming to “penetrate Israel’s public opinion.”

Maariv linked this project to Tehran’s intensified media strategy against the Israeli regime amid the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza, as well as the recent 12-day war against the Islamic Republic.

“In recent weeks, calls from senior Iranian officials to “fight the consciousness war waged by Israel” have increased, and Iranian media sources openly speak about the “need to expose the crimes of the Zionists to the Israeli audience in their own language,” the report cited.

 “According to experts on Iranian media, this is a direct continuation of Tehran’s influence policy in the digital sphere.”

A military-centric website, C14, described the launch of Press TV's Hebrew service as “a direct move in the awareness war,” stating that the service is “designed to shape narratives that strengthen Tehran’s interests.”

The religious-news platform Bhol also reported on the launch, describing the establishment of the Hebrew channel as “an attempt to influence Israel’s media and social environment.”

“Iran remains an active player in the battle for public opinion, working to bolster the image and standing of its government while undermining the internal resilience of its adversaries,” said the report.

“Iran is also actively trying to exert influence within Israel, having recruited dozens of Israeli agents for espionage purposes. Several Israelis have been arrested after passing information to Iranian operatives.”

These reports, according to media analysts, smack of fear and anxiety in the Israeli media and political circles, who have long followed the policy of suppressing news and analysis that shows the regime in a bad light – even amid the ongoing genocidal war on Gaza.

Israeli media outlets collectively emphasize key themes regarding Press TV’s Hebrew service: a direct effort to influence Israeli public opinion, part of Tehran’s new media strategy amid the genocide in Gaza and following the 12-day war imposed on the Islamic Republic, and an initiative that represents a new stage in the narrative war between Tehran and Tel Aviv.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir