The Israeli Cybersecurity Authority announced it has detected "dozens of Iranian hacking operations on surveillance cameras for espionage purposes" since the beginning of the war with Tehran, calling on the public to exercise caution. Israel's Cyber Directorate said via the X platform: "The authority is working to alert hundreds of camera owners and urges the public to change passwords and update software to prevent any security risks, whether on a state or personal level." Mutual cyberattacks between Iran and Israel have increased in recent years as part of a covert war between the two sides, which culminated in an open confrontation last June and again on February 28. In December 2025, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who is preparing to face incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in general elections this year, said he was the victim of a cyberattack targeting his Telegram account after hackers claimed to have breached his phone. Private messages, videos, and photos allegedly taken from Bennett's phone were posted on a hacker site named "Hanza," named after a character created by Palestinian cartoonist Naji al-Ali, as well as on an associated X account. A cybersecurity expert speaking to France Press stated that Iran-affiliated hackers have intensified their operations in the region since the strikes on Iran began. Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point reported in its assessment that since the start of the US-Israeli attack eleven days ago, hacker access to surveillance cameras has been detected. These cameras are widely used but often lack robust security. Gil Messing, head of cyber intelligence at the firm, noted that the images could have been used to assess the damage caused by the attacks or "to gather the necessary information" on "the habits of targeted individuals or locations that could be hit." He added that the hackers are "part of the Iranian army" and are "state-backed to a large extent," particularly by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security. Last week, the Financial Times reported that Israel had hacked most of Tehran's traffic cameras for years in preparation for the attack, which on its first day resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
