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Jackson Hinkle, a U.S.-based social media personality known for spreading anti-Israel rhetoric to his 2.9 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), has escalated his online campaign in recent weeks by broadcasting messages not from the United States, but from within the strongholds of Islamist groups.
His most prominent appearance came last week in Yemen, where he addressed a pro-Palestinian conference organized by the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
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Internet's most popular antisemite Jackson Hinkle wearing traditional Yemeni attire during his visit to the country
Hinkle later took the main stage in Al-Sabeen Square in the capital Sanaa, where tens of thousands gathered, as they do every Friday, for anti-Israel demonstrations. The event marked Iran’s annual Quds Day, a day designated by Tehran and its regional allies for orchestrated displays of hatred toward Israel.
“As the U.S. drops bombs on the people of Yemen and Gaza, we know that the U.S. and the Zionist entity [are] waging a war against God,” Hinkle declared from the stage. “And we know that anyone who wages a war against God will never be successful. Inshallah, one day we will meet in a free Palestine.” The crowd of Houthi supporters responded with chants of “Death to Israel, death to America, curse the Jews, victory to Islam.”
The Sanaa rally capped a broader visit that began on March 22, when Hinkle arrived in Yemen. Over the course of three days, the Houthis hosted a conference in the capital titled “Palestine – The Central Cause of the Ummah,” which proceeded uninterrupted despite ongoing American airstrikes across several Yemeni provinces, including Sanaa.
Panels at the conference addressed topics such as “Zionist Strategies to Create a Greater Israel,” “The Dangers of Normalization (with Israel) and the Importance of Boycott” and “Zionist Ambitions in Yemen.”
Hinkle addressed the conference on its final day, Tuesday last week. “Thank you for having me in your beautiful country of Yemen,” he said. “After what my country has done, you have every reason to hate every American, but you are intelligent, humble people, and you have far more humanity than any Western leader, and for that, I’m extremely grateful.”
He then used his speech to send a message to U.S. troops stationed aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, which has been operating in the region in response to Houthi attacks.
“I urge you all to resist further war crimes against the people of Yemen, Gaza and all free people around the world,” he said. He also lashed out at Jordan’s King Abdullah, Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, accusing them of serving American interests. Hinkle’s speech was quoted and broadcast by media outlets affiliated with the Iranian axis.
Despite being an American citizen and the Houthis being designated by the United States as a terrorist organization, the antisemitic social media influencer appeared to revel in showcasing the warm welcome he received from Washington’s enemies — and his admiration for them — to his followers on X.
In one of his first posts from Yemen, Hinkle shared a photo of himself in full traditional Yemeni attire, including the curved dagger known as a janbiya, captioned, “My first day in Yemen.”
Throughout the week, he continued posting messages praising Houthi leaders and was photographed with several senior figures, including Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, known for his bombastic speeches threatening and claiming attacks on Israel.
On March 24, his third day in the country, Hinkle posted an image from the conference he attended, writing, “Inshallah next year’s Conference will be held in Palestine.” That same day, he shared another image of himself stepping on an Israeli flag, with the caption: “F*** Israel.”
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For his participation in the Houthi-organized conference, Hinkle was awarded a commemorative plaque. During his visit, he also gave an interview to the Houthis' Al-Masirah TV and was filmed learning a traditional Yemeni dance.
This is not Hinkle’s first on-the-ground appearance in support of Iran-backed terrorist groups. Last month, he attended the mass funeral in Lebanon of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and his successor Hashem Safieddine. While in Lebanon, he posted videos from the site in Beirut’s Dahieh suburb where Nasrallah was killed, and from tours of southern Lebanon.
In one video filmed near the Israel-Lebanon border, Hinkle held an ammunition box and addressed the IDF directly: “We took a little gift from the front line.”
According to reports in Lebanon, some Hezbollah supporters initially believed Hinkle was not a real person due to the sheer volume of his posts praising Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah and denouncing Israel. His appearance in Lebanon was quickly embraced by Hezbollah operatives, who used it for propaganda purposes.
Still, even in parts of the Arab world, some have voiced skepticism over Hinkle’s motives. Critics have warned that his outsized support for Iranian proxies may be disingenuous, suggesting he is exploiting Arab anger over the war in Gaza to boost his online following.