AI vs. AI: Cyber-attacks redraw battle lines in Iran-Israel war

Report by Ghida Fayad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

In a striking escalation of cyber warfare between Iran and Israel, Iranian-affiliated hacking groups managed to infiltrate the Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11, accessing its internal cameras and broadcasting content in Persian. 

The incident marks a deepening of the shadow war between the two nations, now playing out alongside military confrontations.

While cyber-attacks are not new in the ongoing hostilities between Tehran and Tel Aviv, Israel has seen an unprecedented spike in such activity since the latest round of conflict began. 

According to Israeli cybersecurity firm Radware, cyber-attacks surged by 700% in just two days.

Radware's cyber intelligence unit attributes the latest wave of attacks to unofficial Iranian groups and hacker collectives loyal to the Islamic Republic. These entities have targeted official institutions, attempted to steal sensitive data, and disrupted several online platforms. 

In some cases, they reportedly interfered with Israel's warning and defense systems, triggering false air raid sirens across the country.

Beyond infrastructure, the cyber campaign has also targeted public perception. Iran-linked hackers have circulated disinformation, fabricated videos and images using AI-generated deepfakes, and attempted to sow confusion among Israeli citizens.

Tomer Perry, an Israeli cyber security expert and director of Citrix Israel and Inocom, warned that the conflict has entered a new phase. "We're facing a new battlefield: artificial intelligence against artificial intelligence," he said.

The Iranian cyber-attack did not go unanswered. 

Just hours after the breach of Kan 11, Iran's oldest and largest bank, Bank Sepah, reportedly suffered a major disruption. ATMs across several major cities ceased to function, sparking confusion and preventing withdrawals.

As digital battle lines harden, the cyberspace confrontation is proving to be as impactful—and as destabilizing—as the military conflict itself.