West Asia Conflict: US Govt Issues Alert, Citizens Warned Of Possible Cyber Attacks, Extreme Activities

Amid escalating tensions involving Israel and Iran, the United States on June 22 issued a new advisory for US citizens warning of an 'elevated threat environment' within the country. The notice, issued by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), came a day after the US military struck three key nuclear sites in Iran.  

In view of the ongoing hostilities, the advisory warned of possible cyberattacks, retaliatory violence, and homegrown extremist activity.

“The ongoing Iran conflict is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States. Low-level cyber attacks against US networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely, and cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may conduct attacks against US networks,” the DHS bulletin said. 

“Iran also has a long-standing commitment to target US Government officials it views as responsible for the death of an Iranian military commander killed in January 2020. The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilising to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland. Multiple recent Homeland terrorist attacks have been motivated by anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiment, and the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict could contribute to US-based individuals plotting additional attacks", it further added.

According to the DHS bulletin, the current conflict, alongside Iran's historic grievances and longstanding threats against US targets, has significantly increased the risk of both cyber and physical attacks on American soil.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is urging organisations to adopt recommended cybersecurity best practices and to report any suspicious digital activity immediately.

The bulletin came after a dramatic escalation as the United States on Sunday, June 22, ensured its official entry into the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict by carrying out coordinated air and missile strikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan.

Quoting officials, CNN reported that the United States used six B-2 bombers to drop a dozen bunker buster bombs on the Fordow nuclear site in Iran while the Navy submarines fired 30 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM) missiles at two other sites, Natanz and Isfahan.

Confirming the strikes, US President Donald Trump came up with a series of posts on Truth Social, shortly before addressing the nation from the White House.

"We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran's airspace," he wrote on Truth Social.