So, US Central Command is now reporting that proxy groups are launching attacks on US bases and targeting Saudi energy infrastructure. And you know what that means—the corporate media is just itching to spin this into a big, bad narrative about the “evil, anti-American forces” at play. You can bet your last dollar that CNN will ramp up the fear factor, painting a picture of imminent doom and chaos as they regurgitate the establishment’s take on foreign threats without offering any real nuance.

Meanwhile, Fox News will likely use this as an opportunity to bang the war drums even louder, framing it as a failure of “weak leadership.” They’ll conveniently ignore how the intertwining of US interests with foreign regimes often leads to these kinds of volatile situations. It’s all about keeping that patriotic anger alive, all while they distract you from the fact that many of these proxy groups have been born out of the very interventions the US has had in the region.

What’s truly maddening is how both sides of the aisle in these networks fail to ask the hard questions: Who benefits from these conflicts? Why is there no discussion about the ongoing humanitarian crises exacerbated by these power plays? The narrative is set: it’s all about bashing the blame game while pacifying audiences with media-induced hysteria. It’s high time we start looking beyond the smoke and mirrors, folks.