Inexpensive fiber-optic drones are challenging Israel’s high-tech defenses, shifting the military balance in the Middle East.
A recent video showing an explosive-laden drone striking an Israeli Iron Dome battery couldn’t have been more symbolic: Israel’s famous air-defense system, which cost billions of euros, looked powerless against a small aircraft that cost a few hundred euros.
While the video’s authenticity has not yet been verified, experts believe it is genuine.
The footage was published about a week ago by Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based pro-Iranian militia, which Germany, the US and several Sunni Arab states have classified as a terrorist organization.
The drone strike, if genuine, would mark propaganda victory for Hezbollah and reveal a significant vulnerability in Israel’s military capabilities.
I´m talking about the difference between journalism and propaganda; you don´t think it’s a little weird to come away from an article like this knowing Hezabollah is a terrorist organization according to Germany, the US, and several Sunni Arab states, but not that their country is currently being invaded with tanks?
No, because the article doesn’t acknowledge the state based designation placed upon their organization by those countries. You personally know it exists, but the writer doesn’t give the nations that imposed it that benefit of adding a reference to their decree.
Existence of an organization within a nation does not mean it is aligned with the state or subject to it unless that organization decides to align it’s objectives with the state, which currently Hezbollah is in it’s primary territory while also providing resources and support to likeminded allies beyond.
Most of those countries that throw around “terrorist” designations have groups on their own soil that they drop that title on. Depending on how the writer wanted to spin it they would either push the state narrative and call them “terrorists”, or acknowledge what groups often call themselves, “activists” or “militia” and reference what territory they are operating out of.
I’m honestly not sure what you’re saying. The article is doing exactly what you say it isn’t doing–given the state-based definition of “terrorist,” and I’m not assuming the reader personally knows anything.
I also don’t see that you are defending the omission of Israel’s invasion.
Beware of choosing arbitrary distinctions that support what you already believe. Here, I see people who support Israel make a distinction between state and non-state actors because it cloaks state violence and decontextualizes (and implicitly condemns as unjustified) non-state violence, while at the same time giving the reader LESS information and a skewed view–the opposite of the goal of true journalism.
For instance, I saw a great video on music theory and how some white supremacists in the West decided that contrapuntal harmony (or some shit) was the PINNACLE of intelligence. Why? Is it just a coincidence that Western Classical music does very well relative to other music in the world? Rhythmically, Indian music mops the floor with Bach. Obviously, a chauvinist Indian would pick whatever Indian music does uniquely well as the pinnacle of musical evolution.
“The footage was published about a week ago by Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based pro-Iranian militia, which Germany, the US and several Sunni Arab states have classified as a terrorist organization.”
It points out the players, their location, their actions, their purpose, and who’s using what spin to justify why what one side is doing to sway public opinion to justify their action.
“Terrorism” is a broad term that has lost its meaning. There are people and groups that use the power of violence and fear to try and influence public opinion and behavior for their own selfish gains or worldview, or revenge. Some are state sponsored, like ICE or the IDF, some exist outside state control but when push comes to shove end up being a useful tool for the state agenda, like Proud Boys storming the US Capitol or Hezbollah defending Lebanon. The job of journalism is to point out who, what, when, where, how, and why. Readers then make their own judgement calls about the validity and form their opinions about who is more just and if their actions in that conflict are acceptable.
Personally, I think any action taken by an individual that can and is willing to sacrifice their life in defense of another from a ideological or selfish motivated oppressor is noble, if the person defending does so trying to purely in defense of the ones incapable of defending themselves. The moment groups start dragging gods and politics into the purpose? Fuck ‘em all. By all means, kill one other for your gods but spare the rest of humanity who’s caught in between and just trying to live, maybe indulge in a bit of personal spirituality, the fallout of ideological hubris.
The article text doesn’t mention Israel as an actor at all–only a victim.
Are we having a miscommunication of some kind? Are we reading the same article? Are you AI? Disregard this comment.
“Israel’s famous air-defense system, which cost billions of euros, looked powerless against a small aircraft that cost a few hundred euros.”
It frames them as exactly what they are, a bunch of self-proclaimed victims who though their wealth would protect them from having to face the consequences of their behavior, because fuck knows no god is going to save them, but for all their investment they prepared for last century warfare and are getting their zealot asses turned to paste because of it. Good.
Non state organizations do not have their own country’s…
Hezbollah is based in Lebanon and Lebanon is being invaded, that is not the same as Hezbollah is being invaded.
Like, you’re mad at an explanation in the article but you obviously need the explanation…
It would be fair to mention that Israel is led by a wanted war criminal, if you are going to use language to demonise and delegitimise one side the other side should be treated in a balanced manner.
The fact that the war Israel is currently being led by a war criminal is important because it makes the reader question whether the decision to invade Lebanon is just as it is being done by a known and wanted war criminal.
So is America and Iran…
It’s not any different, if anything you should be arguing everyone involved is terrible.
Missing my point entirely. Good day.