Iran-linked hackers deploy personal data of over 2,000 US Marines to West Asia? Pentagon launches probe, says report
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Iran-linked hackers deploy personal data of over 2,000 US Marines to West Asia? Pentagon launches probe, says report")
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Iran-linked hackers “Handala” leaked personal data of 2,379 US Marines in West Asia. The Pentagon is investigating the breach, which includes threats against personnel's families amid soaring Washington-Tehran tensions.
A hacker group reportedly linked to Iran has claimed responsibility for leaking the personal data of thousands of US Marines deployed in West Asia, prompting an investigation by the US Department of Defence, according to media reports.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the group released personal information belonging to more than 2,000 Marines. A separate report by Shafaq News put the number at 2,379 and identified the group behind the cyberattack as Handala, also referred to as Hanzala.
According to Shafaq News, the hackers published names and personal details of US Marines on a Telegram channel, describing the leak as evidence of their “surveillance capabilities”. The outlet further reported that US troops stationed in the region received warning messages via WhatsApp claiming they were under surveillance and could be targeted.
The group also claimed it held additional sensitive information on American personnel, including family details, home addresses, routines and daily movements, and threatened to release more material at a later stage, Shafaq News said.
The reported breach comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. Earlier, US President Donald Trump said Iran had contacted him, claiming it was in a “state of collapse” and seeking the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
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“Iran has just informed us that they are in a ‘State of Collapse.’ They want us to ‘Open the Hormuz Strait,’ as soon as possible,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. In a separate post, Trump warned Tehran, saying, “Iran cannot get their act together. They do not know how to sign a non-nuclear deal. They had better get smart soon.”
