Iran Orchestrating Online Campaign of Threats Against Israeli Olympic Athletes

Latest Developments

The Israel National Cyber Directorate announced on July 25 that Iran was behind an online intimidation campaign targeting Israeli athletes competing in the Paris Olympics. Hackers posing as the French far-right student organization Groupe Union Défense sent threatening messages and created online channels to disseminate personal information about the athletes. One such message, sent to Israeli swimmer Meiron Amir Cheruti, read: “You are welcome to attend the funeral of Meiron Amir Cheruti, born on October 19, 1997, died on July 27, 2024.” Another message sent to athletes warned: “The fate of the Zionists will be like that of the Palestinians in Gaza if the Zionists continue to terrorize everyone.”

For its part, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach expressed his “full confidence” in the French authorities’ ability to ensure the safety of Israeli athletes. Bach noted that the IOC is working closely with “180 other international intelligence agencies collecting all information” to create a safe and secure environment for the games, which formally opened on July 26. In the hours immediately prior to the opening ceremony, unidentified saboteurs carried out arson attacks at five separate junctions of the French national railway network, causing severe delays. “Everything points us to these fires being deliberate — the timing, the vans that have been recovered after people have fled, the incendiary agents found on the scene,” Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete commented.

Expert Analysis

“Since the October 7 atrocities in Israel, Tehran has increased its cyber support to Hamas, conducting psychological and hacking operations to undermine Israeli military capabilities and national resolve. This latest operation, and a previous Iranian campaign to dox Israeli soldiers and send funeral bouquets to families of hostages, are not mere privacy violations or attempts to intimidate individuals. They go to the heart of Iranian support for Hamas’s brutality, both physical and psychological, against all of Israeli society.”  — Annie Fixler, Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation

“The Gaza war has galvanized terrorist groups and their sympathizers to launch violent attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets, making the Paris Olympic Games an attractive venue for these malicious actors. Paris and Jerusalem cannot afford to have a repeat of the Munich Olympics in 1972 when Palestinian terrorists brutally massacred Israeli athletes. To prevent a similar tragedy from occurring again, both countries must take proactive measures to gather intelligence on the ground and in the cyber realm.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

Treasury Sanctions Officials Belonging to IRGC Cyber-Electronic Command

On February 2, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned six Iranian officials belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Cyber-Electronic Command (IRGC-CEC) for nefarious cyber activities against critical infrastructure in the United States and other nations. Among those sanctioned is Hamid Reza Lashgarian, an IRGC commander and head of the IRGC-CEC, who faces accusations of his involvement in the IRGC’s cyber and intelligence operations. The sanctions also extend to senior officials Mahdi Lashgarian, Hamid Homayunfal, Milad Mansuri, Mohammad Bagher Shirinkar, and Reza Mohammad Amin Saberian.

The Iranian attackers compromised operational equipment at small water utilities around the United States by hacking devices manufactured by an Israeli company. Four years ago, Iranian cyber operatives hacked Israel’s water authority, attempting to poison Israel’s water supply.

Commenting on the sanctions, Brian E. Nelson, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, emphasized the seriousness of the threats posed by Iranian cyber actors to critical U.S. infrastructure. “The United States will not tolerate such actions and will use the full range of our tools and authorities to hold the perpetrators to account,” Nelson noted.

Related Analysis

“The Dangers of Iran’s Cyber Ambitions,” by Annie Fixler

“Iran has upped its cyberattacks: It’s time for Biden to strike back,” by Annie Fixler and RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

“FBI Director Warns of Increased Risk of Iranian Cyberattacks,” FDD Flash Brief