“Sultan Alamer, a fellow at the Middle East Policy Council, a nonprofit in Washington, said the crackdown appeared to have multiple motivations.
“The first has to do with preventing Iranian open-source intelligence analysts from using these photos and videos to locate air-defense systems, improve the precision of their attacks and identify new vulnerable targets for future strikes,” he said. “The second has to do with protecting the image of certain Gulf cities as islands of safety and prosperity in the region.””
- Explanation of rationale from the article
19
HoveringMangoMar 27, 2026
+36
What did people expect from literal dictatorships?
36
No_Tree_8144Mar 27, 2026
+26
Al Jazeera isnt going to say shit about this but start producing 500 million articles about every other country tho
26
FerralOneMar 27, 2026
+7
It is common in many counties including Ukraine and Israel to ban the publishing of sensitive material that may be used in wartime (including movements of equipment, precise location and detail of damage from strikes etc).
So no, while applied aggressively here, this is common wartime behavior and not just dictorial behavior
7
Party_Chemical7454Mar 27, 2026
+1
In Israel it's allowed but not recommend to fim missiles or interceptions. No one was arrested so far...
1
[deleted]Mar 27, 2026
[deleted]
0
FerralOneMar 27, 2026
+2
Im not making false equivalence, I even noted it's more aggressive
The policy being related to OPSEC (at least in part) is also literally in the article if you read it:
> "The first has to do with preventing Iranian open-source intelligence analysts from using these photos and videos to locate air-defense systems, improve the precision of their attacks and identify new vulnerable targets for future strikes
Now should it officially be declared? Sure. Is this leaning authoritarian? Sure. But the only point I made is that this isn't just dictator behavior, this is driven by common policy for just about any competent government
2
DalnoreMar 27, 2026
There are a ton of videos of damage in Israel by random people, and I've never heard about anyone being persecuted for it. I know that taking pictures and videos military objects is definitely a bad idea, but the rest is kinda based on the IDF asking the public not to post the exact locations in order not to help the enemy, but it doesn't seem they can do much about it. There are significant limitations on what the media can publish do without prior approval though.
0
Duotrigordle61Mar 28, 2026
+2
Israel, like Hamas and Hezbollah, has an incentive to amplify, rather than diminish, the appearance of their own suffering.
They all need to sell that they are the victims here.
The Gulf states want to appear to be out of the fray.
2
kbasante265Mar 27, 2026
+2
Damn
2
JeffreyDonaldMuskMar 27, 2026
+2
Not surprised.
2
AntiTrollSquadMar 27, 2026
+6
There are no attacks if they are not reported. Trump can get behind that line of reasoning.
6
1_g0roundMar 27, 2026
+1
where's jd yelling about freedom of speech now? hes ok w those remarks in germany to support afd and in france...step up to the mic jd
1
FigureMost1687Mar 27, 2026
+3
time for a regime change in gulf states , wait what ? lol
3
ForbiddenSagaMar 27, 2026
+1
Can't have the truth out there, can we now.
1
chronoicMar 27, 2026
-4
Their putting up their own version of "The Iron Dome"
You know block any truth coming out of the war or missiles getting through and just claim they shot down all missiles that came their way, because American defense system are the greatest.
-4
MaksimilenRobespiereMar 27, 2026
+2
It’s called “Denial Dome”.
2
Icy-Gas8490Mar 27, 2026
-11
Remind me who are the baddies.
-11
No-Tomatillo-7566Mar 27, 2026
-4
If the videos these "guest workers'shot got widely viewed, guest workers might not come to be second- and third-class residents of thesess countries.
19 Comments