Iranian Cyberattacks on Israel Surged in 2025-26, Microsoft Warns
Israel was the target of 39% of recorded cyberattacks attributed to Iranian actors between July 2025 and June 2026, according to Microsoft's annual Digital Defense Report. This is a significant increase in targeting, as Israel accounted for nearly twice as many incidents as the second-most targeted country, the United States.
The report also notes that there has been a shift in tactics by groups linked to Tehran, with an increasing focus on disruptive and destructive operations. These include wiping data and targeting technology used to run industrial infrastructure.
Ransomware attacks against Israel rose 21% compared to the previous year, which Microsoft attributes to Iran's use of ransomware as part of a broader hybrid warfare strategy.
The report also highlights the increasing use of artificial intelligence by attackers, which is accelerating and expanding their scale. This requires cyber defenses to adapt continuously.