Iranian forces are making bold moves, claiming the Strait is closed and launching widespread attacks against U.S. allies and bases in the region. But don’t expect CNN or MSNBC to give you the unfiltered truth here. They’re more likely to frame Iran’s aggression as a “response” to grievances, while glossing over the fact that this is full-blown posturing from a nation desperate to assert its power.

Meanwhile, the likes of Fox News may sensationalize the story, focusing on the “threats” without diving deeper into the tangled web of economic sanctions, geopolitical motivations, and the U.S.’s provocations that led us here. They love a good fear narrative, but why not question why Iran feels cornered enough to act out like this?

The corporate media’s reluctance to hold U.S. foreign policy accountable is glaring. Instead of scrupulously analyzing the implications of these attacks, they play catch-and-release with flashy headlines, leaving the audience uninformed or, worse, misinformed. It’s a classic case of distraction—a shiny object to keep us from questioning our government’s decisions and the consequences that follow.

What we need is tough, unflinching critique of the motivations behind these developments, rather than the sugar-coated updates we’re continuously fed. American citizens deserve to know the full story, not just the bits that play nice with their preferred narratives.