ADL: Iran War Is Fueling Surge of Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories Online

Antisemitic conspiracy theories have surged online since the United States and Israel launched military strikes against the Iranian regime, according to a report released Tuesday by the Anti-Defamation League.

The ADL’s Center on Extremism said the conflict has triggered a rapid spread of claims that the United States is fighting Iran on Israel’s behalf. Researchers say major geopolitical crises often trigger waves of antisemitic conspiracy theories online, but this time the claims are being spread by groups across the political spectrum that normally oppose each other.

The report found that activists, extremist networks and high-profile online influencers are amplifying similar claims across social media platforms, bringing long-standing antisemitic conspiracies to much larger audiences.

The narratives have appeared across X, Instagram, Telegram and other platforms. The most prominent claim alleges that American soldiers are being sent to fight and die for Israel’s interests. The ADL described this message as the most dominant theme circulating online since the military campaign against Iran began on February 28.

“Actors spanning white nationalists, influencers, anti-war voices, and Islamist-aligned groups all converged on the same core message: that the strikes on Iran were conducted to serve Jewish or Israeli interests at the cost of American lives,” the report said.

The organization noted that the rhetoric appeared across ideologically opposing communities. Figures cited in the report include far-right networks, anti-war activists and anti-Israel organizations such as National Students for Justice in Palestine and Samidoun.

A second major trend involved classic conspiracy claims that Jews or “Zionists” secretly control U.S. foreign policy. The ADL said this rhetoric often uses language tied to white supremacist ideology, including references to a “Zionist Occupied Government,” commonly abbreviated as “ZOG.” The narrative has circulated among extremist groups and online personalities including the Aryan Freedom Network and streamer Sneako.

Another conspiracy theory spreading online uses the phrase “Operation Epstein Fury,” a name some users have given to the U.S. military campaign against Iran. According to the ADL, the phrase appeared more than 35,000 times on X within hours of the strikes and climbed to over 91,000 mentions within two days.

The theory claims the war was deliberately launched to distract the public from newly released documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Extremist figures often use the claim to push broader accusations that Jewish or pro-Israel elites secretly control politics and global events.

The online rhetoric has also been tied to political mobilization. Anti-war groups including the ANSWER Coalition organized nationwide protests against the strikes on Iran, with more than 150 demonstrations reported in U.S. cities between February 28 and March 2. Additional protests were scheduled for early March.

According to the ADL, some online calls for protest have included violent or pro-terror slogans, and in several cases rhetoric appeared to encourage attacks on Jewish institutions.

The conflict has also triggered the revival of older antisemitic conspiracies. Some online figures have circulated claims linking Israel to the September 11 attacks, while others have suggested the timing of the strikes was connected to the Jewish holiday of Purim, alleging the military operation was motivated by religious symbolism.

Researchers say the response illustrates a recurring pattern in which major geopolitical events become catalysts for the spread of antisemitic narratives online. Jewish security organizations have urged communities to remain vigilant, warning that conspiracy rhetoric during times of conflict can increase threats against Jewish institutions and communities.