Israel Watch, Research Digest

Date saved: 2026-10-18 18:00 (PDT)

Sources: Jerusalem Post, Middle East Eye, Just Security, Wikipedia, Cyble, IDF

Key findings

Jerusalem Post (2026): Since October 7, Iran has sharply escalated cyber operations against Israel through fronts including Handala Hack (tied to Iran's Intelligence Ministry), CyberAv3ngers, and IDFLeaks, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Handala has leaked the phone of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's aide Tzachi Braverman, breached former PM Naftali Bennett's Telegram account, doxxed Unit 8200 members, and claimed 197 GB of data from the Nahal Sorek nuclear center. Offline, counter-espionage arrests rose 400% in 2024 as Iran recruited Israelis on Telegram for surveillance and sabotage. The Wall Street Journal reported that some 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives received combat training in Iran in September 2023, led by the IRGC, with Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani attending. Hamas minutes seized by the IDF show Yahya Sinwar spent over two years planning the October 7 attack and worked to persuade Iran and Hezbollah to join a wider war. (Source)

Cyble (2026): The period from June 2025 to April 2026 was an unprecedented era of hybrid cyber warfare between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Israeli Operation "Rising Lion" (launched June 13, 2025) involved massive airstrikes aimed at crippling Iran's nuclear infrastructure at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, alongside targeting senior military leadership, causing 4 major industrial outages in Iran targeting steel mills and refineries. Operation "Epic Fury / Roaring Lion" (coordinated US-Israel strikes on Iranian leadership compounds) was preceded by the largest cyberattack in history, creating a "digital fog" that crippled internal military communications and state media (IRNA). Pro-Iranian hacktivist collectives, coordinated via the "Electronic Operations Room" (established Feb 28), continued to target energy, water, and healthcare sectors globally. Unit 8200 orchestrated the hack of surveillance/CCTV cameras and focused on degrading C2 structures and intercepting IRGC communications. Israeli cyber teams worked with Unit 8200 to deliver tailor-made payloads that disrupted processes and spread laterally across Iranian networks. (Source)

Middle East Eye (2026): The Israeli election on October 27 is one of the most important in the country's history, the first since 2022 and the Hamas-led attacks of 2023. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving premier and now seeking a seventh term, faces wide criticism for his handling of the wars, which have isolated Israel internationally. His current government, in power since 2022, is the most right-wing in Israeli history and has overseen what the International Criminal Court has termed genocide and war crimes in Gaza, for which Netanyahu faces an arrest warrant. Other issues include the security of the occupied West Bank, settlement growth, and compulsory military conscription for ultra-Orthodox communities. Former army chief Gadi Eisenkot is challenging Netanyahu. (Source)

Wikipedia (2026): In February 2026, Israel and the United States launched a major military offensive against Iran with the stated goal of inducing regime change. According to multiple diplomatic sources, Netanyahu lobbied President Trump to initiate the joint strikes. In April 2026, Netanyahu said "There is no ceasefire in Lebanon. We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force, and we will not stop until we restore your security." The Israeli-US war on Iran has failed to secure a decisive victory. Tens of thousands of Israelis remain displaced amid attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon. (Source)

Just Security (Sep 8, 2026): Israeli strikes on the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Roummane killed at least 12 people, including two children and one medic, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. The attacks came without an online evacuation warning from the IDF, which said it launched the strikes in response to drone attacks by Hezbollah and targeted what it described as Hezbollah infrastructure. Israeli strikes in Gaza killed four people on Sunday; a strike killed a man and his eight-year-old daughter, according to the head of Al Shifa Hospital Mohamed Abu Selmia. Two separate Israeli strikes killed two other people, including a child in Gaza City. Netanyahu ordered unauthorized settler outposts in the West Bank to be dismantled. Israel's Supreme Court ruled that defense authorities must enable the safe return of three Palestinian families to their homes after they were chased out of the West Bank village of Jalud by settlers. Violence in the occupied West Bank flared as Israeli troops killed two Palestinians, one shot dead during a village raid by settlers from a nearby outpost. (Source)

ABC News / Just Security (Sep 2026): The United States and Iran exchanged missile fire in waters around Iran, US Central Command struck three Iranian vessels after Iran's IRGC launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships. (Source)

Jerusalem Post (2026): Iran's cyber operations against Israel have included penetrating supply chain networks tied to defense contractors and conducting surveillance of critical national infrastructure, such as energy grids and water supply systems. Iranian hackers focused on espionage to gain access to sensitive military, political, and industry-related data across the US, Israel, and global targets. Israel has engaged in cyber espionage operations against Iranian military and political structures to track weapon development and plan countermeasures, including targeting communication channels used by Hezbollah and shutting down support infrastructures for Iranian-aligned militias. Campaigns have included real-time surveillance of Iranian military and nuclear development. (Source)

Cyble (2026): Iranian hackers focused on espionage to gain access to sensitive military, political, and industry-related data. They penetrated supply chain networks tied to defense contractors and conducted surveillance of critical national infrastructure including energy grids and water supply systems. Exfiltrated sensitive information allowed Iran to execute hack-and-leak operations and collect intelligence about adversaries' military readiness and potential vulnerabilities. (Source)