Residents of Tehran and other Iranian cities were awakened by the sound of explosions early Saturday morning as Israeli and U.S. forces launched joint strikes on Iran, which they are calling "preemptive." This military action follows a period of unfruitful negotiations and comes in the wake of mass protests in Iran that resulted in over 3,100 civilian deaths earlier this year, according to government figures.
Shortly after the airstrikes began, a widely-used prayer-timing app called BadeSaba Calendar, downloaded over 5 million times from the Google Play Store, sent unexpected push notifications to many Iranians. Instead of official government alerts, these notifications read "Help is on the way," suggesting amnesty for those who surrender.
The messages poured into users’ devices within 30 minutes of the initial explosions, beginning with "Help has arrived" at 9:52 AM Tehran time. Some messages urged military personnel to lay down their arms and promised them clemency. One message emphasized, “The time for revenge has come,” while another appealed to Iran’s armed forces to join "the forces of liberation."
Cybersecurity experts have confirmed the unusual notifications were indeed timed with the attacks, but details about the perpetrator of the hack remain unclear. Narges Keshavarznia, a digital rights researcher, stated no hacker group has claimed responsibility, leaving the origin of the attack ambiguous—whether it was orchestrated by Israeli forces or Iranian anti-government groups.
Morey Haber, a security advisor at BeyondTrust, noted that such a well-timed cyber operation is likely to have been meticulously planned in advance, maintaining that it is more than just a random cyber attack.
In retaliation, Iran launched strikes targeting military bases throughout the Middle East, with reports of explosions in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, and Qatar. The situation has led to considerable internet disruption across Iran. Access to the internet has all but vanished, with overall network traffic plummeting and communication networks severely affected, limiting both connectivity and visibility for civilians.
This incursion follows previous long-term internet blackouts during earlier protests, raising fears among the public about the re-emergence of such oppressive tactics. The lack of connectivity hampers the ability of Iranians to communicate, document occurrences, or call for outside assistance, heightening concerns over visibility and accountability amid ongoing hostilities.
As the conflict escalates, the cyber element of warfare plays a critical role, reflecting a complex and multi-faceted battle that extends beyond physical engagements.
