DIThe Distraction Index

#middle_east

28 events across 13 weeks

2Damage
12Hype
14Noise
5.6Avg Dmg
28.1Avg Hype
WEEK 82Jul 19 – 25
NOISE2026-07-24
Trump Adds Saudi Arabia Abraham Accords Participation as Nuclear Deal Condition
Policy Changeinternational · moderate
Damage
0.4
Hype
24.5
DMG2026-07-23
US Launches 12th Consecutive Night of Strikes on Iran
Policy Changeinternational · narrow
Damage
30.7
Hype
16.5
HYPE2026-07-23
Trump Adds Israel Normalization Condition to Saudi Nuclear Deal
Policy Changeinternational · moderate
Damage
1.7
Hype
29.5
DMG2026-07-20
Trump Orders 10th Consecutive Night of Strikes on Iran
Policy Changeinternational · moderate
Damage
26.7
Hype
14.2
NOISE2026-07-20
Lebanon Leader to Visit White House
international · narrow
Damage
0.0
Hype
4.0
HYPE2026-07-19
US Strikes Iran Revolutionary Guard in Response to Attack
international · narrow
Damage
0.0
Hype
36.5
NOISE2026-07-19
US Retaliatory Strikes Against Iran
international · moderate
Damage
0.1
Hype
9.5
NOISE2026-07-19
US Military Service Member Killed in Iran Conflict
international · narrow
Damage
0.6
Hype
1.6
WEEK 81Jul 12 – 18
NOISE2026-07-18
US Military Escalates Iran Conflict with Airstrikes Following Jordan Deaths
Enforcement Actioninternational · narrow
Damage
13.5
Hype
16.0
NOISE2026-07-15
Trump Declares U.S. Doesn't Need Military in Iraq Anymore
Policy Changeinternational · moderate
Damage
0.0
Hype
18.5
NOISE2026-07-14
Trump Urges Netanyahu to Pull Israeli Troops from Syria and Lebanon
Policy Changeinternational · moderate
Damage
0.0
Hype
18.5
WEEK 78Jun 21 – 27
HYPE2026-06-21
Trump Comments on Strait of Hormuz Strategic Control
international · moderate
Damage
—
Hype
59.5
WEEK 76Jun 7 – 13
HYPE2026-06-07
US Military Intercepts Iranian Missiles and Drones in Gulf Region
international · moderate
Damage
—
Hype
30.5
WEEK 75May 31 – Jun 6
HYPE2026-06-03
Trump Acknowledges Calling Netanyahu 'Crazy' Over Lebanon Attacks
international · narrow
Damage
—
Hype
65.5
WEEK 68Apr 12 – 18
HYPE2026-04-16
US Blockade of Iranian Ports and Economic Pressure Campaign
Resource Reallocationinternational · moderate
Damage
16.1
Hype
67.3
HYPE2026-04-16
Senate Rejects Effort to Block Arms Sales to Israel; Democrats Split
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
3.0
Hype
65.8
WEEK 63Mar 8 – 14
HYPE2026-03-08
Iran Escalation and Military Conflict
Damage
9.6
Hype
87.3
WEEK 61Feb 22 – 28
NOISE2026-02-26
US Military Builds Up Largest Middle East Force in Decades
Policy Changeinternational · broad
Damage
20.3
Hype
19.6
NOISE2026-02-23
US Pulls Non-Essential Staff from Beirut Embassy
Policy Changeinternational · narrow
Damage
0.0
Hype
13.0
WEEK 59Feb 8 – 14
HYPE2026-02-10
Trump-Netanyahu Meeting on Iran Negotiations
international · moderate
Damage
—
Hype
26.0
WEEK 39Sep 21 – 27
NOISE2025-09-26
Trump Says He Will Stop Israel from Annexing West Bank
international · narrow
Damage
0.0
Hype
13.8
WEEK 27Jun 29 – Jul 5
NOISE2025-07-05
Trump Claims Ceasefire Deal Near in Gaza
international · broad
Damage
0.0
Hype
15.1
WEEK 25Jun 15 – 21
HYPE2025-06-14
Iran Fires Drones and Missiles in Response to Israeli Strikes
international · broad
Damage
3.4
Hype
28.3
HYPE2025-06-14
Iran Missile and Drone Attack on Israel
international · broad
Damage
0.0
Hype
31.0
NOISE2025-06-14
Israel-Gaza Escalation with US-Backed Aid Site Attack
international · broad
Damage
21.1
Hype
24.6
NOISE2025-06-14
Israel Thanks Trump for Support on Iran Conflict
international · narrow
Damage
0.0
Hype
2.6
HYPE2025-06-14
Trump-Putin Phone Call on Middle East Tensions
international · broad
Damage
10.2
Hype
40.9
WEEK 22May 25 – 31
NOISE2025-05-30
US and Israel Present Gaza Ceasefire Proposal
international · broad
Damage
0.0
Hype
5.8