Jerusalem, 22 June, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The X account of the Israel Antiquities Authority was hacked early Sunday by the Iranian cyber group Handala, which tweeted a threatening message and an image of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei alongside an Iranian missile.
“Soon, all Israeli commanders will face the consequences of their war crimes. Nothing will stop the day when a harsh revenge is exacted on those who have committed such heinous acts,” the message warned.
The tweet which was posted at 1:00 AM, was eventually taken down.
The Israel Antiquities Authority is a government agency responsible for preserving, excavating, and managing Israel’s archaeological sites and antiquities. Its X account has 2,600 followers.
In January, Handala claimed responsibility for breaching the emergency alert systems in 20 Israeli kindergartens, triggering fake rocket sirens and broadcasting Arabic messages and pro-terror songs.
On Tuesday, a hacker group possibly linked to Israel claimed responsibility Tuesday for a cyberattack on Bank Sepah, one of Iran’s most strategically important financial institutions. The group, called Black Sparrow, said it had “destroyed all data” and targeted the bank for its role in financing Iran’s military and nuclear programs.
Bank Sepah, which operates 1,800 branches across Iran and has a presence in Europe, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2019 for supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and helping Iran circumvent international financial sanctions.
Customers reported widespread outages, with some unable to access accounts. Cards from other military-linked banks, including Kosar and Ansar, also stopped working. Iranian authorities have yet to issue an official response.
Israel launched preemptive strikes against Iranian nuclear sites on June 13, citing intelligence that Tehran had reached “a point of no return” in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. According to Israeli defense officials, Iran has developed the capacity to rapidly enrich uranium and assemble nuclear bombs, with sufficient fissile material for up to 15 weapons.
Israeli intelligence also exposed a covert program to complete all components of a nuclear device. The strikes marked a dramatic escalation in what officials describe as a broader Iranian strategy combining nuclear development, missile proliferation, and proxy warfare aimed at Israel’s destruction.
