Iranian State TV Hacked Amid Cyber Strikes on Regime-Linked Institutions

Iranian state television was briefly hijacked on Wednesday evening in a cyberattack that broadcast footage of anti-regime protests and messages urging citizens to rise up against the government.

The interruption, which appeared on screens of satellite TV viewers, featured a symbol linked to the alleged Israeli cyber campaign known as “Lion’s Awakening.” Iran’s state broadcaster confirmed the breach and blamed it on “Zionist enemy” interference with satellite signals.

Opposition outlet Iran International reported the hack was likely carried out via satellite signal spoofing — a method previously used in attacks attributed to Israeli-linked cyber groups. It is the latest in a growing number of incursions targeting Iranian institutions.

Just a day earlier, government-owned Sepah Bank suffered a major outage, leaving many Iranians unable to withdraw cash from ATMs. Hacker group “Predatory Sparrow” claimed responsibility, accusing the bank of helping Iran bypass international sanctions to fund nuclear and ballistic weapons programmes.

“It is the fate of any institution that serves the terrorist fantasies of the dictator,” the group said, referencing the Iranian leadership, and hinting at cooperation with unnamed allies.

Meanwhile, Israeli Military Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder visited IDF units and hinted at future cyber operations. “You will soon enter new territories in other arenas as well,” he said.

The attacks come as Israel intensifies its operations targeting Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, including a recent strike on the Arak nuclear site. Analysts suggest the cyber strikes form part of a wider, multi-domain campaign to undermine Tehran’s strategic assets.