Iranian hackers announced successfully hacking the phone of Netanyahu’s top aid
A cyber hacking group linked to Iran announced on Sunday that it had hacked the mobile phone of a top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, days after announcing that former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s account on Telegram had been hacked.
The Hanzala group announced that it had hacked the phone of Tzachi Braverman, Netanyahu’s chief of staff and ambassador-designate to Britain.
In a statement posted online, the hackers claimed to have gained access to Braverman’s device and warned Netanyahu’s inner circle against leaking sensitive information.
Israeli officials said the allegation was under investigation and that no breach had been confirmed so far.
The hackers made widespread claims of possessing encrypted communications and other sensitive material, but did not provide any evidence to support these claims.
They noted that additional information will be published later, and the group also posted photos of Braverman with US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden.
The same group claimed responsibility for the hacking of Bennett’s mobile phone about a week and a half ago, in what it called “Operation Octopus”.
Bennett’s office initially denied the phone had been hacked, but the hackers later posted photos, documents and thousands of phone numbers on multiple pages, including numbers they claimed were linked to French President Emmanuel Macron and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
Bennett later admitted to hacking his account on Telegram, as the Israeli authorities haven’t publicly confirmed the hackers’ recent allegations and said investigations are ongoing.
