[News] ‘We Were in the Room’: Iran-Linked Hack Targets Halevi with Massive Data Leak

[Anti-Imperialist News]

palestinechronicle.com
<https://www.palestinechronicle.com/we-were-in-the-room-iran-linked-hack-targets-halevi-with-massive-data-leak/>
‘We Were in the Room’: Iran-Linked Hack Targets Halevi with Massive Data
LeakApril 9, 2026
------------------------------
An Iranian-linked hacking group says it penetrated Herzi Halevi’s phone for
years. (Photos: Handala, via social media)

*By Palestine Chronicle Staff
<https://www.palestinechronicle.com/writers/palestine-chronicle-staff>*

An Iranian-linked hacking group says it penetrated Herzi Halevi’s phone for
years, exposing sensitive military and personal materials.

*Key Takeaways*

   - Handala says it stole around 19,000 files from former Israeli army
   chief Herzi Halevi’s phone.
   - The leaked material reportedly includes “secret meetings, strategic
   maps, and personal details from his private home.”
   - Yedioth Ahronoth says the breach could shake Israel’s security
   establishment and deepen psychological pressure after the ceasefire.

*Shaking the Security Establishment*

A long investigation published by the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on
Thursday reveals that a new cyber incident “could shake up the security
establishment,” after the Iranian hacker group Handala announced it had
secretly penetrated the phone of Major General (res.) Herzi Halevi, the
23rd Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, over the years.

According to the report, Handala published a “large-scale statement” on
Thursday morning, saying it had stolen approximately 19,000 sensitive
files, including “visual documentation of secret meetings, strategic maps,
and personal details from his private home.”

Yedioth Ahronoth added that the materials gathered include not only
security-related content, but also private and family records.

“The hackers claim that the material in their possession does not include
just dry documents, but live documentation of ‘crisis rooms’ and top-secret
facilities,” according to the report. It added that the group says it
possesses “thousands of photos with visible faces of fighters and
commanders of the highest ranks in the country, completely exposed.”

The Israeli paper noted that the scale and nature of the publication set
this case apart from earlier cyber incidents involving senior Israeli
figures.

In its words, “19,000 files is an amount of information that can provide a
very broad intelligence picture, beyond mere personal harassment.”
*Military and Personal Material Exposed*

The report says the database published by Handala includes both official
and private material.

“Dozens of examples of photos and videos were published in the
announcement, including from his official activities as Chief of Staff,
such as on a tour of the Air Force base or in conference rooms and
high-level meetings,” the report read.

But the material reportedly goes well beyond military settings. The article
said: “The database also includes photos and videos from the former Chief
of Staff’s family life, including photos of his and his wife’s ID cards.”
It also mentioned what it describes as “embarrassing” personal details,
including “a video showing Halevi in a humorous family situation at his
home.”
*Visit to Jordan*

According to the Israeli paper, one especially sensitive item among the
leaked materials is “a video and photos of the former Chief of Staff giving
the Jordanian Chief of Staff a dagger belonging to a Jordanian soldier
killed in the Six-Day War.”

The paper noted the significance of that disclosure, writing: “It should be
noted that Halevi’s visit to Jordan at the time was under a veil of
secrecy, and he arrived at the meeting in civilian clothes, and without a
uniform.”

The report also said the publication appears designed not just to expose
information, but to undermine confidence at the top of Israel’s military
hierarchy.

“The declared goal of the publication is not only to gather intelligence,
but to undermine the sense of security of the Israeli top command under the
message: ‘We are the shadow in the heart of your command’,” the report said.
*Psychological Operation*

Yedioth Ahronoth explicitly framed the leak as part of a broader
psychological campaign.

“The incident appears to be part of aggressive psychological warfare, and
it is not surprising that the publication is being made just hours after
President Trump’s ceasefire announcement,” it said.

The report suggested that the Handala publication was designed to show that
cyber pressure will continue even after active combat slows.

“The attack against Halevi does not occur in a vacuum,” the report noted,
adding that “It joins a series of Iranian attempts to harm symbols of
Israeli rule and security, but the current attack should somewhat shake the
sense of security of the top security officials.”

According to the report, “This is the fourth hack into the devices of
senior figures in the Israeli political and security system.”

Previous cases involved former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, former Prime
Minister Naftali Bennett, opposition leader Benny Gantz, and top diplomat
Tzachi Braverman, all described as highly senior officials with access to
sensitive materials.

*(PC, Yedioth Ahronoth)*
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