Hanzalah hackers claim breach of Netanyahu aide’s phone

Shafaq News – Tehran

An Iranian-linked cyber group identifying itself as Hanzalah claimed on Sunday that it had breached the personal mobile phone of Tzachi Braverman, the chief of staff to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to statements circulated online.

Braverman is a senior Israeli official and lawyer who previously served as Cabinet Secretary between 2016 and 2021 and is widely regarded as a close associate of Netanyahu and his family.

In a statement attributed to the group, Hanzalah alleged that the intrusion exposed encrypted conversations and confidential material, which it described as evidence of “moral and financial misconduct,” including abuse of authority, blackmail, and covert bribery. The group added, “The era of secrets is over."

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office denied the claim, telling The Times of Israel that “no breach has been found,” and that the matter was under investigation.

Shafaq News was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the hacking claim or confirm the identity of the group. Statements attributed to Hanzalah were circulated through unverified accounts using the same name on platforms such as Telegram and X.

A hacking group using the Hanzalah name has previously claimed responsibility for cyber intrusions targeting Israeli individuals and institutions. In November, accounts linked to the group alleged that they had accessed the vehicle systems and personal data of Israeli nuclear scientist Ishaq Gertz, a claim that was also not independently confirmed.