Iran has restricted internet access across the country, reportedly aiming to disrupt Israel’s
ability to carry out covert cyber operations. This move comes shortly after Israel launched a large-scale attack, further heightening geopolitical tensions in the region.
According to Fatemeh Mohajerani, spokesperson for the Iranian government, and Iran's Cyber Police known as FATA, the internet slowdown is intended to preserve network stability. They described the measure as temporary, targeted, and controlled, meant to defend against cyber threats. NetBlocks reported a noticeable drop in internet traffic around 5:30 p.m. local time. The restrictions follow an intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran, which have exchanged missile strikes since Friday. Experts say the hostilities have expanded into cyberspace, with warnings of possible retaliation by Iranian state-linked hackers and hacktivist groups.
The cyber conflict is playing out on both sides. Earlier this week, a pro-Israeli group named Predatory Sparrow claimed responsibility for a cyber attack on Iran’s Bank Sepah, taking down its website and ATM services.
In a statement posted on X, the group accused the bank of helping Iran bypass international sanctions and fund its missile program and proxy activities. They said the sabotage was carried out with assistance from supporters inside Iran, describing the bank as a tool for advancing the regime’s goals.
Israel is widely known for its cyber capabilities, most famously linked to the Stuxnet attack that targeted Iran’s nuclear program.
Cybersecurity company Radware, based in Tel Aviv, reported increased chatter from Iranian-affiliated threat actors across public and private Telegram channels. Some groups, including Mysterious Team Bangladesh and Arabian Ghost, warned countries like Jordan and Saudi Arabia against backing Israel. They also claimed to have disabled Israeli radio broadcasts.
Iranian officials have also urged citizens to delete WhatsApp, one of the most commonly used messaging platforms in the country. Authorities accused the Meta-owned service of being used by Israel for surveillance, though no evidence was provided. WhatsApp denied the claims and told the Associated Press that it does not track users or share bulk information with any government.
The cyber conflict follows a separate announcement by the U.S. Department of State. The department is seeking information about Iranian hackers accused of targeting critical infrastructure in the United States, Israel, and other countries using malware known as IOCONTROL, also called OrpaCrab. The malware is believed to be used against Industrial Control Systems.
According to the Rewards for Justice program, Cyber Av3ngers, associated with the online persona Mr. Soul, has carried out cyberattacks on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber-Electronic Command. These attacks have focused on compromising ICS and SCADA devices used in key infrastructure sectors worldwide.
Update:
On June 18, Predatory Sparrow claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on Iranian cryptocurrency platform Nobitex. The group said it would release the platform’s source code and internal data within 24 hours.
They described Nobitex as a crucial part of Iran’s strategy to bypass sanctions and fund terrorist operations globally. In response, Nobitex issued a security notice confirming it had disabled access after detecting unauthorized activity in parts of its infrastructure and hot wallet system. The company assured users that their assets remain safe and pledged to cover any losses.
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT reported that about 81.7 million dollars in digital assets were stolen from Nobitex across Tron, EVM, and Bitcoin networks. The attacker used a vanity address labeled “TKFuckiRGCTerroristsNoBiTEXy2r7mNX,” according to a message posted by ZachXBT on Telegram.
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