Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett said Wednesday evening that Israeli security authorities are examining claims by an Iranian-linked hacker group that it infiltrated his mobile phone, stressing that initial findings show the device itself was not breached.
According to Bennett, security reviews determined that while his phone was not hacked, access was gained to his Telegram account through other means.
In a statement released by his office, Bennett said that unlawfully obtained materials have been circulated online, including contact lists, photographs, and message exchanges. Some of the content, he said, is authentic, while other materials are fabricated. Among the items shared was a manipulated image depicting Bennett alongside David Ben-Gurion. Bennett emphasized that the dissemination of such materials constitutes a criminal offense.
Earlier, the hacker group calling itself “Handala,” which is identified with Iranian intelligence elements, claimed responsibility for what it described as a “historic breach,” dubbing the alleged operation “Operation Octopus” — a reference to Bennett’s past public statements about Iran.
The group subsequently released documents, images, and correspondence it claimed were extracted from Bennett’s device, along with a list containing hundreds of phone numbers, including those of journalists, spokespersons, and senior figures in Israel and abroad.
Bennett’s office initially said the device in question was no longer in use. A later update clarified that examinations found no evidence of a breach into the phone itself. Shortly after that announcement, however, the hacker group published 141 pages of phone numbers it claimed belonged to senior Israeli and international figures, including foreign leaders.
Israeli security agencies, including the Shin Bet, are now investigating the incident and the source of the published materials. Among the possibilities being examined is that some of the information originated from a different device belonging to someone close to Bennett.
Bennett also addressed the personal and political implications of the affair, saying that “Israel’s enemies will do everything they can to prevent my return to serving the country — it won’t help them.”
{Matzav.com}
