Israel’s Shin Bet and National Cyber Directorate issued a warning Sunday over a renewed Iranian intelligence campaign targeting Israeli journalists and media professionals with sophisticated phishing attacks aimed at gaining access to sensitive information.

Israeli security officials said they have recently identified another wave of targeted attempts by Iranian intelligence operatives amid ongoing political and security developments. Authorities say they are actively working to identify and thwart the attacks.

According to the warning, Iranian operatives primarily approach journalists through WhatsApp or Telegram while impersonating trusted individuals — sometimes even other well-known journalists.

The messages are carefully tailored to the target’s work and interests and can include seemingly legitimate offers for collaboration, interview requests or invitations to private conversations.

Once contact is established, the target may be sent a link supposedly connecting to an online meeting. Instead, the link can direct the victim to a fraudulent website designed to steal Google account credentials.

Other messages may contain malicious links or files capable of compromising the victim’s cellphone.

Israeli authorities believe Iranian intelligence is attempting to use the attacks to gain access to journalists’ confidential sources, private correspondence, work materials and sensitive information concerning Israel’s political and security establishment.

The stolen information could potentially be exploited by Tehran for espionage, intelligence gathering, terrorism or influence operations, officials warned.

The Shin Bet and National Cyber Directorate stressed that journalists are not the only targets. Similar Iranian efforts have been directed at people involved in political, public, government and security work.

Authorities urged journalists and others working in sensitive fields to exercise heightened caution when receiving unexpected messages, interview requests, meeting invitations or links — even when they appear to come from familiar contacts.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)