Iranian State TV Hacked Amid Wave of Cyberattacks Blamed on Israel

by Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – Iranian state television broadcasts were briefly hijacked Wednesday evening, with footage of anti-regime protests and calls for public uprising aired across the country. The breach, claimed by opposition media to be the work of Israeli-linked actors, marks the latest escalation in a multifront campaign targeting Iran’s military, strategic, and information infrastructure.

Viewers watching the interrupted broadcast reported seeing a logo associated with the alleged Israeli cyber operation dubbed “Lion’s Awakening” or “Operation Rising Lion.” According to Iran International, an opposition-affiliated outlet, the incident was likely executed via satellite signal interference aimed at those accessing state channels through satellite receivers.

Iran’s national broadcaster acknowledged the breach, attributing it to Israeli interference. “If you see unrelated images, it is due to satellite signal interference by the Zionist enemy,” the authority said in an official statement.

The disruption came just a day after widespread outages affected ATMs operated by Sepah Bank, a government-owned institution tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The hacker group “Predatory Sparrow,” known for previous cyberattacks on Iran’s oil, military, and logistics sectors, claimed responsibility. The group accused Sepah Bank of aiding Iran’s nuclear and ballistic weapons programs by helping to evade international sanctions. “It is the fate of any institution that serves the terrorist fantasies of the dictator,” the hackers said, thanking unnamed partners for their support.

The cyber incidents come amid mounting tensions between Israel and Iran following Israeli airstrikes on key Iranian military and nuclear facilities, including a strike on the inactive Arak nuclear reactor. Analysts view the hacks as part of a coordinated effort to destabilize Tehran’s military and strategic capabilities.

On Tuesday, Israeli Military Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder visited IDF intelligence units, where he praised the personnel for their role in enabling recent operations against Iran. “You’ll soon break new ground in other arenas as well,” Binder told troops. “You’ve proven you can cross borders and reach any target. Always remember–we are not fighting on just one front. We’re fighting Iran, but we’re also keeping our eyes on the hostages in Gaza and the threats to our troops and civilians.”

While Israeli officials have maintained that regime change in Tehran is not the goal of current operations, Iran has accused Israel of engaging in psychological warfare as part of a broader destabilization strategy.

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