Service was disrupted at several financial institutions, including the Central Bank of Iran.
By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News
Iran’s banks were hit Wednesday by a cyberattack that could be one of the worst in the country’s history, the London-based Iran International news site has reported.
The hackers reportedly stole account information and disrupted services at the Central Bank of Iran as well as several other banks.
No one has yet taken credit for the attack, but considering Iran’s recent dire threats of retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, it is considered at least a possibility that Jerusalem stands behind it.
Israel did not officially admit to orchestrating Haniyeh’s death, but it has warned Iran that it will not stand quietly by if it is attacked.
According to a report on Army Radio, Jerusalem told its allies in Europe and the United States that a direct attack from Tehran would lead to an IDF counterstrike on Iranian soil, even if the Iranian assault fails to hurt anyone.
The U.S. has moved a number of military forces into the region to help defend the Jewish state, and has led an international diplomatic push to have the mullahs rethink their moves so as not to risk a regional war.
Professor Uzi Rabi, head of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University, told Israel’s Radio 103FM Thursday that the computer assault could be part of the messaging.
“The cyber issue is a kind of warning, indicating what could happen if certain actions are taken,” he said. “We’re talking about a country with power outages, water problems, and basic needs. If an attack targets the oil regions in Iran, it could be a blow from which they cannot recover economically.”
“This is a very pragmatic and ruthless regime,” he added, whose “populace is a potential enemy,” and this, their “faltering economy,” and especially the American buildup, has put them on a path of “lowering expectations” regarding their revenge on Israel.
A picture making the rounds on social media, which may or may not be authentic, highlights that the well-known internal discontent with the mullahs could be a possible motive for the attack.
It shows a typewritten message purportedly taped over a cash machine that states, “Dear clients, It is not possible to withdraw money from this ATM. This is because all of Iran’s national budget and resources have been allocated to wars and the corrupt religious leaders of the Islamic Republic regime. We apologize profusely.”
Meanwhile, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, slammed on Wednesday what he called “enemy psychological warfare” to get Iran to back down.
He cited the Koran as saying that any non-tactical retreat—whether military, political, or economic—will incur “Divine wrath” upon the Muslim faithful.
This could also signal that the regime may deem a walk-back as a tactical move. Iranian officials have said that the government could halt its attack plans if a ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas is signed.