Media: Iranian hackers access Israeli military encryption codes photo

Iranian cybersecurity specialists have reportedly breached encrypted communication systems used by the Israel Defence Forces, raising concerns about the security of operational command and control.

According to Tasnim News Agency, the alleged compromise has placed Israel’s military communications infrastructure under significant strain, potentially affecting the management of ongoing operations.

The report states that the Israeli military relies on telecommunications equipment manufactured in several European countries, including Italy, Germany, Austria, and France. Much of the internal communication between soldiers and command-and-control centres — critical for battlefield coordination — was conducted via encrypted internet telephony operating on infrastructure linked to those countries.

Following the breach, the encryption codes are said to have been obtained by cybersecurity specialists. The Israel Defence Forces acknowledged awareness of the incident and indicated that a new communication system is planned. However, officials noted that replacing the existing system in the short term is not possible.

It remains unclear how long Israeli military communications may have been vulnerable to interception, or from what point they could have been monitored by Iranian actors.

By Tamilla Hasanova