&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Top-secret 'sleeper asset trigger' intercepted: US intel warns Iran planning global retaliation after Khamenei assassination")
The United States has intercepted top-secret communications believed to have originated in Iran. The encrypted communication, as per US intelligence, may serve as "an operational trigger" for Iranian "sleeper assets" outside the nation. The US federal government, in an alert sent to law enforcement agencies, has warned that the transmission may have activated Iranian sleeper cells. This comes as the US-Israel-Iran war enters its 11th day and as Tehran announced that the Islamic Republic and not America would "determine the end of the war" in West Asia. Which countries are at risk? Here's all we know.
Top-secret Iranian communications intercepted by US intelligence
According to ABC News, US authorities have intercepted encrypted communications believed to have originated in Iran. The communication, they say, may be intended to activate covert operatives outside the country.
The alert, reviewed by ABC News, refers to "preliminary signals analysis" of a transmission thought to be of Iranian origin. Officials said the signal appeared shortly after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US-Israeli strike on Feb 28.
Possible instructions to covert operatives
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According to the alert, the transmission was encrypted and relayed across multiple countries before reaching its intended recipients. Officials believe the signal may have been directed at “clandestine recipients” who already possess the required encryption key. Messages of this type are sometimes used to send instructions to "covert operatives or sleeper assets" without relying on internet or cellular networks.
The alert notes that the transmission could potentially be intended to activate sleeper assets already positioned outside Iran.
"While the exact contents of these transmissions cannot currently be determined, the sudden appearance of a new station with international rebroadcast characteristics warrants heightened situational awareness," read the federal alert to US law enforcement.
Which countries are at risk?
According to the report, US authorities have not identified a specific threat. They stressed that the alert does not point to any specific target or location.
There is "no operational threat tied to a specific location," the notice said, though it advised law enforcement agencies to increase monitoring of unusual or suspicious radio frequency activity.
The intercepted transmission comes amid heightened security concerns following the killing of Khamenei during a joint US-Israeli strike. Notably, officials in Washington have previously warned that Iran or groups aligned with Tehran could attempt retaliation outside the Middle East.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.
