Iran activates ‘Red Alert’… What does it mean?

Amid rising tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, which led to the assassination of several leaders of the Lebanese group, widely regarded as Iran’s proxy in Lebanon, Tehran has begun taking “defensive” measures.

• Heaviest escalation between Hezbollah and Israel puts Lebanon on the brink of war

• Crisis Between Defense Minister and Army Chief Amid Heightened Tensions Between Hezbollah and Israel

Late on Saturday evening, the Iranian Cyber Defense Organization announced that it had raised the alert level to “red,” in anticipation of potential Israeli cyberattacks on Iran’s infrastructure.

The Iranian Cyber Defense Organization said, “Due to the events unfolding in the region and the possibility of widespread cyberattacks on our infrastructure, we have raised the alert level to red.”

• Violent Clashes Between Hezbollah and Israel Amid Preparations for Total War in Southern Lebanon

• France presents a proposal for de-escalation between Hezbollah and Israel

The organization stated that it is “working around the clock to examine, assess, and implement security measures in emergency situations, with continuous and uninterrupted monitoring of systems and networks.”

It urged Iranian citizens to report any incident, news, or message, regardless of the technical issue, at any time of day or night, stressing the need to take immediate steps to “implement the red alert in light of electronic threats.”

• Washington seeks to contain the war between Hezbollah and Israel by sending an official to Beirut 

• Gaza Setback and the Success of Israeli Spies: An Analysis of Hezbollah Infiltration

What measures are taken in this situation?

According to the Iranian statement, the following items should be immediately put into action:

• Examine, assess, and implement security measures in emergency situations.
• Continuous, uninterrupted monitoring of systems and networks, 24/7.
• Ensure that systems providing services on the Internet platform are set to “Iran Access.”
• Any incident or information, whether or not there is technical evidence, should be reported to the Cyber Defense Organization at any time, day or night.
• Control and monitor current access, and manage access attempts.
• Ensure the full availability of technical experts and the rapid response team.
• Apply stricter control and supervision over contractors’ access within the Cyber Defense Organization and prevent all external contractors from accessing the complex entirely.

• Can Hezbollah stand up to Israel? Iranian President expresses doubts

• Washington Post reveals how Lebanese pay the price for Iranian threats and ongoing Hezbollah-Israel clashes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ramped up his rhetoric against Iran, warning that if Iran retaliates in response to the assassination of Hezbollah‘s former Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, “I say to the Iranians that our hands can reach every place in Iran.”

On Saturday evening, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the death of Brigadier General Abbas Niloufaroushan, head of the Quds Force in Lebanon, who was with Nasrallah in the southern suburbs of Beirut.