A sophisticated and coordinated wave of cyberattacks has crippled Iran’s digital infrastructure, leaving the nation’s leadership in what experts describe as a “digital fog”, reports state.
The disruption, which began on Monday, struck critical military command networks and public platforms simultaneously with “Operation Epic Fury,” a joint US-Israeli military campaign.
While kinetic strikes have focused on missile sites and nuclear facilities, this parallel digital offensive appears designed to paralyze the Iranian regime from within.
The scale of the technological shutdown is unprecedented.
According to the internet monitoring firm NetBlocks, connectivity across the country plummeted to just 1% of normal levels on Monday morning.
This near-total blackout followed two significant events: A massive drop in traffic recorded at 07:06 GMT and a second, definitive collapse at 11:47 GMT.
Consequently, these twin disruptions have effectively severed Iran’s communications with the outside world.
Cybersecurity analysts noted that the level of coordination suggests a highly advanced aggressor, aimed specifically at neutralizing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
A multi-layered digital offensive
Beyond simply cutting internet access, intelligence sources confirm that the campaign was designed to be “just as lethal” as physical bombardment.
The strategy appears to have been deployed across three distinct fronts: First, Infrastructure where deep intrusions into the energy grid and aviation systems resulted in nationwide power outages and the grounding of all flights.
Second, Military Command: Specific strikes targeted the IRGC’s command-and-control networks, directly hindering their ability to coordinate retaliatory drone or missile strikes.
Lastly, Psychological Warfare where hackers successfully hijacked BadeSaba, a popular religious prayer app used by over five million people.
In perhaps the most audacious move of the day, the hijacked BadeSaba app began broadcasting a series of Farsi push notifications to millions of Iranian citizens.
According to user reports, the messages were designed to undermine the regime’s authority.
One notification reportedly declared, “Help has arrived!” while other messages urged members of the security forces to desert their posts and join “the forces of liberation,” offering promises of amnesty for those who refused to fight.
As the joint military campaign codenamed Operation Epic Fury (US) and Operation Roaring Lion (Israel) enters its fifth day, the scale of the “soft” and “hard” fronts against Iran has become clearer.
While the physical strikes have dominated headlines, the integrated cyber offensive has been described by military analysts as a “digital decapitation” of the Iranian state.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the campaign began in broad daylight at 09:45 Tehran time on February 28.
The strikes have targeted four primary military objectives: Nuclear Infrastructure: Systematic degradation of remaining enrichment and production sites.
Leadership Targets: Precision strikes on government compounds in Tehran, Isfahan, and Qom. Reports confirm the destruction of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s compound.
Missile Arsenals: Destruction of ballistic missile launch sites and storage facilities to “blunt Iran’s ability to retaliate.”
Naval Assets: A concerted effort to “annihilate” the Iranian Navy and the IRGC’s maritime capabilities.
The combined pressure of these strikes has reportedly led to the establishment of local air superiority by US and Israeli forces, though the region remains on edge as retaliatory drone and missile strikes have been reported against US bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and the UAE.