Iranian Hackers Allegedly Breach Former Israeli PM’s Phone
Israeli media, citing security sources, report that the mobile phone of former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was hacked in a cyberattack. According to these reports, security agencies are currently investigating the incident, and no official confirmation has yet been given regarding the contents of any leaked data.
Channel 7 and Channel 12 in Israel have claimed that an Iranian hacker group was behind the cyber intrusion. Meanwhile, Bennett’s office stated that the phone in question is not currently in use and that technical and security reviews are ongoing.
Simultaneously, a hacker group known as ‘Hanzala’ issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack as part of an operation named ‘Octopus’. The group described the breach as a successful cyber operation, asserting that it exposes vulnerabilities in the information security of Israel’s senior officials.
The group claims the targeted phone was an iPhone 13 and that they extracted files including contact lists, internal communications, drafts of official letters, political notes, and personal photos. According to the group, some of the documents date back to July 2025 and refer to internal disagreements and assessments of certain officials.
Hanzala has invited journalists to contact them via the social media platform X for more details. However, Israeli officials have so far not verified the authenticity of the documents, and media outlets report that investigations are still underway.
Naftali Bennett served as Israel’s prime minister from 2021 to 2022 before stepping down. Israeli media outlets, without providing specific details, have alleged that Iranian intelligence agencies were involved in the incident.
