The already fragile relationship between Pakistan and Israel has entered a new phase of confrontation after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Pakistan-linked “bot farms” of orchestrating a coordinated anti-Israel disinformation campaign aimed at influencing young Americans and weakening the strategic alliance between Washington and Tel Aviv.
The allegations come amid growing geopolitical turbulence in West Asia, heightened tensions following Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, and increasing scrutiny of Pakistan’s role as a mediator between the United States and Iran. While Pakistan has denied all accusations, the controversy has added another layer of mistrust to an already strained regional equation.
In an interview with CBS News, Netanyahu described the information war on social media as the “eighth front” confronting Israel. According to the Israeli leader, foreign actors were using sophisticated online manipulation campaigns to erode American public support for Israel, particularly among younger generations.
Netanyahu alleged that coordinated networks originating from Pakistan were disguising themselves as ordinary American citizens online to spread anti-Israel narratives.
“You hear a text message, ‘I’m a red-blooded Texan. I always supported Israel, but I can’t stand what they’re doing. I’m turning against Israel,’ and then you trace the address to some basement in Pakistan,” Netanyahu said during the interview.
The Israeli prime minister argued that these campaigns were not isolated acts of online trolling but part of a broader geopolitical effort to fracture American society and undermine the longstanding US-Israel alliance.
“They’re not only attacking Israel. They’re attacking America. They’re trying to create ruptures within America — not only between America and Israel, but between Americans and Americans,” he added.
Netanyahu further claimed that authoritarian governments and organized influence operations were exploiting social media algorithms, fake identities, and automated bot networks to manipulate public discourse in the United States.
Although he did not provide concrete evidence publicly linking Pakistani state institutions to the alleged campaign, his remarks marked one of the strongest accusations yet by an Israeli leader against Islamabad in the information warfare domain.
Netanyahu acknowledged that support for Israel among younger Americans has visibly weakened in recent years, especially following the war in Gaza and broader regional conflicts involving Lebanon and Iran. However, he attributed much of that erosion not to organic public opinion but to coordinated online disinformation efforts.
“We have seen the deterioration of support for Israel in the United States almost 100 percent with the geometric rise of social media,” Netanyahu argued.
The remarks appear linked to widespread protests across American universities against Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Student-led demonstrations, encampments, and pro-Palestinian mobilization movements have expanded significantly since the outbreak of the Gaza war, which reportedly resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and widespread destruction.
Israel’s military actions in Lebanon, its strikes in Syria, and its confrontation with Iran have also triggered criticism globally, particularly among younger audiences increasingly consuming news through social media platforms rather than traditional media channels.
Netanyahu additionally alleged that foreign influence operations had penetrated American academic institutions and curricula, an apparent reference to growing anti-war activism and criticism of Israeli policy within universities.
Pakistan has never formally recognized Israel since its creation in 1948 and has consistently maintained a pro-Palestinian foreign policy stance.
Pakistani passports continue to carry the statement that they are valid for travel to all countries except Israel. Islamabad has routinely voted against Israeli positions in the United Nations and has frequently condemned Israeli military actions in Palestinian territories and neighboring countries.
The rhetoric intensified following Israeli military operations in Lebanon and Gaza. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif recently described Israel as “evil and a curse for humanity” in a post on X while condemning Israeli bombings in Lebanon.
“First Gaza, then Iran, and now Lebanon, bloodletting continues unabated,” Asif wrote.
Netanyahu’s office responded sharply, stating that the remarks amounted to a call for Israel’s destruction and were unacceptable from a country portraying itself as a neutral mediator in regional diplomacy.
The exchange highlighted the widening ideological gulf between the two countries despite both maintaining close ties with the United States over the decades.
This is not the first time Pakistan has faced accusations related to online influence operations and disinformation campaigns.
India, Pakistan’s principal regional rival and an increasingly close strategic partner of Israel, has repeatedly accused Islamabad of conducting coordinated social media manipulation efforts targeting Indian narratives.
According to New Delhi-based think tank ORF, Pakistani media networks and bot-driven troll farms have allegedly circulated manipulated visuals and anti-India propaganda online. The organization claimed these efforts involved coordination between Pakistani military-linked information structures, diaspora influencers, Chinese social media accounts, and Turkish media platforms.
During “Operation Sindoor,” Indian authorities accused pro-Pakistan social media networks of spreading fabricated battlefield claims and misinformation concerning the Indian Armed Forces.
India’s Press Information Bureau alleged at the time that online accounts linked to Pakistan were amplifying false narratives about military victories and retaliatory strikes.
One major claim involved assertions by the Pakistan Air Force that it had downed five Indian fighter jets, including French-origin Rafale aircraft, using Chinese-made PL-15E air-to-air missiles fired from J-10CP fighters. India disputed the claims, while analysts noted that the allegations were rapidly amplified online through coordinated posting patterns and bot-like activity.
Experts argued that the strategy relied heavily on repetition to lend credibility to otherwise unverified information.
The controversy surrounding Pakistan intensified further after reports emerged alleging that Islamabad allowed Iranian military aircraft to use Pakistani airbases following the Iran-Israel ceasefire.
According to reports cited by CBS News, Iranian aircraft, including an Iranian Air Force RC-130 tactical transport aircraft, were allegedly stationed at Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan after the ceasefire took effect on April 8. Another report claimed Pakistan facilitated the parking of an Iranian civilian aircraft in neighboring Afghanistan.
Pakistan strongly denied the allegations.
In an official statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the reports as “misleading and sensationalized,” asserting that the Iranian aircraft arrived during the ceasefire period and had “no linkage whatsoever to any military contingency or preservation arrangement.”
Islamabad argued that such narratives were designed to undermine regional peace efforts and damage Pakistan’s diplomatic role.
Nevertheless, the reports fueled concern among some American lawmakers and officials already skeptical of Pakistan’s intentions.
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham publicly questioned whether Pakistan could continue serving as a credible intermediary between Washington and Tehran if the allegations proved accurate.
“If this reporting is accurate, it would require a complete reevaluation of the role Pakistan is playing as mediator between Iran, the United States, and other parties,” Graham said.
“I don’t trust Pakistan as far as I can throw them. If they actually have Iranian aircraft parked in Pakistan bases to protect Iranian military assets, that tells me maybe we should be looking for somebody else to mediate.”
Graham’s comments are particularly significant given his close relationship with US President Donald Trump and his influence within Republican foreign policy circles.
Despite the criticism emerging from parts of Washington, Trump himself appeared to dismiss concerns over Pakistan’s role.
Speaking to reporters, the US president praised Pakistan’s leadership and reiterated confidence in Islamabad’s mediation efforts.
“They’re great. I think the Pakistanis have been great. The field marshal and the prime minister of Pakistan have been absolutely great,” Trump said, referring to Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
However, reports citing officials within the Trump administration suggested lingering concerns persisted behind the scenes. Some officials reportedly believed Pakistan was presenting a more favorable interpretation of Iran’s position than what reflected reality and questioned whether Islamabad was forcefully conveying Washington’s concerns to Tehran.
Netanyahu’s allegations against Pakistan underline how information warfare and digital influence operations are becoming increasingly central to modern geopolitics.
For Israel, the online erosion of support among younger Western audiences represents a strategic challenge extending beyond traditional military confrontations. For Pakistan, the accusations risk complicating its already delicate balancing act between the United States, Iran, China, and the broader Islamic world.
Whether concrete evidence emerges to substantiate Netanyahu’s claims remains uncertain. However, the controversy has already intensified diplomatic friction and injected new suspicion into US debates over Pakistan’s reliability as a regional partner and mediator.
