Israel suspects Iranian cyber-attack behind false siren alerts

Israel suspects an Iranian cyber-attack was behind false siren alerts Sunday in several neighbourhoods in West Jerusalem and Eilat, according to local media on Monday, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Sirens were heard on Sunday evening in the towns of Talpiot, Katamon, and Beit Hakerem in West Jerusalem and in Eilat.

The cause of the false alarms, which lasted for nearly an hour, was not yet clear.

The Israeli Army Radio, however, said the Israeli National Cyber Directorate (INCD) suspects that a cyber-attack was “behind a system malfunction.”

According to the INCD, the attack was directed against the municipality’s siren systems and not through the Israeli army’s alert system and, by accessing this system, the hackers were able to activate the sirens.

It did not specify who was suspected of having carried out this hack, but a former official accused Iran.

“Israel is preparing for Iranian attempts to harm the country through cyber warfare,” said former army Deputy Chief of Staff, Yair Golan.

There was no comment from Iranian authorities on the accusation.

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