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☆ U.S. charges three Iranian nationals in Trump campaign hack
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

United States Capitol building and an Iranian flag are seen at the photo exhibition organized by the Iranian-American community and supporters of the Iranian Resistance at the National mall in Washington D.C., United States. Federal prosecutors on Friday announced criminal charges against three Iranian nationals in connection with a recent hack of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign and other cyberattacks. The charges come amid heightened scrutiny about how foreign actors, especially Iran, China and Russia, are trying to influence the American presidential race between Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Officials have said that Iran is working to hurt Trump's campaign, while Russia prefers Trump, who has declined to say he wants Ukraine to win its war against invading Kremlin forces. China, meanwhile, has pushed anti-democracy influence operations but has not clearly sided with either the Republican or Democratic tickets, officials have said.

Persons: Donald Trump's, General Merrick Garland, Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, Yasar, Kamala Harris ., Trump's, Garland, Friday's presser Organizations: Capitol, Iranian, National, Washington D.C, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Washington , D.C, U.S, Trump, Democratic, NBC News, Kremlin, Republican Locations: Iranian, Washington, United States, Washington ,, U.S, Iran, China, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Biden admin offers $20 million reward for info on Iranian charged with plot to kill ex-Trump official John Bolton
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Dan De Luce | Dan De Luce Is A Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Biden administration is offering a reward of up to $20 million for information on a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who is charged with plotting to kill Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton. U.S. authorities in January charged an Iranian national and two Canadians, including a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, for allegedly plotting to assassinate an Iranian defector living in Maryland. Poursafi was charged in August 2022 for his role in the alleged plot against Bolton. He remains at large abroad.Iran has denied it is plotting to assassinate Trump, current or former officials, or others abroad. But Iranian leaders have vowed to avenge the U.S. drone strike in 2020 that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad.

Persons: Biden, Donald Trump’s, John Bolton ., Shahram Poursafi, Bolton, “ Poursafi, —, Trump, him.Iran, Poursafi, Qassem Soleimani, Qassem, Soleimani, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Andrea Mitchell, ” Organizations: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Bolton, Washington , D.C, State Department, U.S, Hells Angels, Justice, Press, Iranian, Getty, Force, NBC Locations: U.S, Washington ,, Maryland, Iranian, Baghdad, Tehran, Iran, Yemen, Baghdad’s

☆ Israel's air war may put Hezbollah in a bind over its most threatening missiles
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewThe Israeli Air Force is pounding the enormous missile arsenal Hezbollah built up over the past 18 years since its last full-fledged war with Israel. The air war is attempting to destroy Hezbollah's long-range missile arsenal, their most threatening weapons for Israelis which Iran provided as a last-resort threat to safeguard its nuclear program. That is one reason it proved reluctant to risk an all-out war between Hezbollah and Israel. Still, it's possible that the destruction of its Hezbollah missile deterrent will convince Iranian officials to build nuclear weapons faster as the ultimate deterrent. Advertisement"Many in Iran and the Iranian establishment now believe that Iran has no choice but to pursue nuclear weapons," Azizi said.

Persons: —, Freddy Khoueiry, RANE, Khoueiry, Israel, Kyle Orton, Hassan Nasrallah, MAHMOUD ZAYYAT, Orton, Arash Azizi, Ismail Haniyeh, Azizi Organizations: Service, Israeli Air Force, Business, Operation Northern Arrows, Hezbollah, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Israel, Getty, Fajr, Clemson University, Iran's, United Nations Locations: Israel, Iran, Lebanon, East, North Africa, South Lebanon, Lebanese, Beirut, Tel Aviv, Israel's, South, AFP, Syria, Tehran

CNN —The US government is “intensely tracking” an ongoing threat by Iran against current and former US officials, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday. Law enforcement officials have been concerned about the persistent threat of Iran potentially attempting to assassinate former Trump officials and the former president himself, multiple sources familiar with the matter have previously told CNN. US officials have not detailed the threats against current officials, and Blinken on Wednesday did not reveal further information. Congress is considering additional money for the Secret Service as part of its effort to keep the government funded ahead of a September 30 deadline. An additional $231 million for the Secret Service is included in a continuing resolution the House could vote on as soon as Wednesday.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Donald Trump, NBC’s, ” Blinken, Trump, ”, ODNI, ” Trump, Qasem Soleimani, Kamala Harris, CNN’s Evan Perez, Zachary Cohen, Natasha Bertrand, Kylie Atwood, Kristen Holmes Organizations: CNN, Trump, National Intelligence, Military, Truth Social, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Baghdad International Airport, Service Locations: Iran, United States, U.S, Baghdad

Hezbollah was reeling Saturday from an Israeli airstrike that killed two of its senior figures and dozens of other people, intensifying fears of all-out war in the Middle East. At least 31 people were killed in total, including three children, and 68 injured, Lebanese health minister Firass Abiad told a news conference Saturday. The strike followed the coordinated detonation of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah members across Lebanon earlier in the week. Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for that attack, but Hezbollah and officials across the world have said Israel was behind the explosions. And a senior officer in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said the region was on the brink of war.

Persons: Ibrahim Akil, Ahmed Wahbi, Firass Abiad, Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mohsen Rezaee Organizations: Radwan Force, Getty, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Locations: East, Lebanese, Beirut, Beirut's, AFP, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Tehran, Islamic Republic, Iraq, Syria, Tasnim

☆ Iranian hackers sent stolen Trump campaign info to Biden campaign associates, FBI says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Michael-Kosnar-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Michael Kosnar | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Iranian hackers have continued to make attempts since late June to transmit nonpublic stolen material tied to Trump’s campaign to media organizations, according to Wednesday’s statement, which noted that the FBI is tracking the activity. In a statement Wednesday, Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Iranians wanted to help Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced Biden as the Democratic nominee, "because they know President Trump will restore his tough sanctions and stand against their reign of terror." To be known as the Iran, Iran, Iran case!" Harris campaign spokesperson Morgan Finkelstein said the campaign has cooperated with law enforcement since it learned about the hacking effort. Law enforcement agencies contacted those people and the Biden campaign to make them aware of the emails, the sources said.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden's, Trump, Karoline Leavitt, Kamala Harris, Biden, Harris, Morgan Finkelstein, We’re, Finkelstein Organizations: Democratic, FBI, National Intelligence, Infrastructure Security Agency, NBC, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Trump, Biden, NBC News, Justice Department, United Nations Locations: Iran, Russia, China, Iranian

☆ Iranian hackers sent stolen Trump campaign information to Biden campaign
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Evan Perez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Iranian hackers sent unsolicited information they stole from Donald Trump’s presidential campaign to people who were affiliated with Joe Biden’s campaign over the summer, federal law enforcement officials said Wednesday. The law enforcement statement Wednesday said that the hackers’ efforts to send information to US media outlets have continued. Law enforcement officials have previously said that those efforts also included an unsuccessful attempt to hack the Biden-Harris campaign. The Iranian hackers did breach the email account of longtime Trump ally Roger Stone to target campaign staff in June, CNN has reported. Investigators believe the suspected Iranian hackers breached Stone’s account and then used that email account to try to break into the account of a senior Trump campaign official as part of a persistent effort to access campaign networks.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden’s, “, Biden’s, Trump’s, Kamala Harris ’, ”, Biden, Morgan Finkelstein, Harris, “ We’re, Ohio Sen, JD Vance, Vance, Roger Stone, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Organizations: CNN, National Intelligence, FBI, Infrastructure Security Agency, Trump, Politico, The New York Times, Washington Post, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Investigators Locations: stoke

The Justice Department plans to file criminal charges in the hacking of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, two law enforcement officials told NBC News. The Trump campaign announced in August that it had been hacked. Later that month, federal officials said that Iran was behind the effort, which was part of an apparent hack-and-leak operation to spread files stolen from Trump’s campaign. Federal officials reiterated in a press call last week that the U.S. intelligence community believes Iran wants to hurt former President Trump’s campaign, whereas Russia wants to boost Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris. Google was more specific, and said that the hackers had gone after both the Trump campaign and President Joe Biden’s before he dropped out of the race.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, Robert ”, United Nations didn’t, “ Robert, ”, Trump’s, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden’s Organizations: Department, NBC News, America, United Nations, Washington Post, NBC, Trump, The Justice Department, RT, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Microsoft, Google, Trump militia Locations: Iran, Russia, Russian, Tehran

CNN —The Justice Department is expected to soon announce criminal charges against the Iranian government-backed hackers who carried out a hack-and-leak operation targeting former President Donald Trump’s campaign, four sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The criminal charges against the Iranian hackers could be unveiled as soon as next week, two of the sources said. The Iranian hackers stole internal Trump campaign documents and shared them with news organizations in an attempt to sow discord during the presidential election, according to US officials. The hackers breached the email account of longtime Trump ally Roger Stone to target campaign staff in June, CNN has reported. CNN has requested comment from the Justice Department on the pending move against the hackers.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Roger Stone, Matthew Olsen, “, ” Olsen, China — Organizations: CNN, The Justice, Trump, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Justice Department, The Washington, Columbia Law, Department’s Locations: Russian, Iran, China, United States

☆ Russian ship suspected of delivering Iranian ballistic missiles seen at Caspian Sea port
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Tim Lister | Gianluca Mezzofiore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A Russian cargo ship suspected of carrying Iranian ballistic missiles for Moscow’s war against Ukraine was seen at a Russian port on the Caspian Sea a week ago, satellite imagery shared with CNN shows. The ship had previously been in the Iranian port of Amirabad on August 29, according to ship tracking data. Period.”The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian charge d’affaires, Shahriar Amouzegar, this week following the reports of ballistic missiles being sent to Russia. By September 6, it had left the Russian port for another voyage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has frequently appealed to Kyiv’s allies for greater latitude in using Western missiles against targets inside Russia.

Persons: “, ”, Antony Blinken, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Shahriar, Amouzegar, Blinken, Sergei Shoigu, Ababil, ” Blinken, Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Keir Starmer, Victoria Butenko, Natasha Bertrand, Kylie Atwood Organizations: CNN, Maxar Technologies, US Treasury, Russian Ministry of Defense, Treasury, Russia, Iranian Fatah, Islamic, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Washington, Iran, US, Russian Defense, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Western, UK Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Olya, Port Olya, Astrakhan ., Amirabad, Iran, Russia, London, Iranian, Islamic Republic, France, Germany, Washington, Astrakhan, The, United States

☆ Iran wants Israelis to worry that Hezbollah has a rare and powerful EMP weapon
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-08 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Nuclear EMP pulses can travel hundreds of miles depending on their altitude of detonation, while NNEMP devices only have ranges of about 5 miles. AP Photo/Mohammed ZaatariIran does have a nuclear program, and probably could build a nuclear EMP weapon if it wanted to. But a non-nuclear EMP weapon might enable Iran to sidestep any red lines. But this raises another question: would Iran give EMP weapons to Hezbollah, its most important proxy? Giving EMP weapons to Hezbollah would risk the possibility that Israel and other nations would hold Iran responsible.

Persons: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps —, Mohammed Zaatari, Trump, Israel, Joseph Votel, Votel, Israel —, It's, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Hezbollah, Lebanese, Quds Force, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Kuwaiti, Al, Force, National and Homeland Security, AP, Iranian, American, US Central Command, Middle East Institute, Defense, Foreign Policy, Rutgers Univ, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Israel, Lebanon, Iran, The, Tehran, Russia, Europe, Mohammed Zaatari Iran, Iranian, Jerusalem, China, North Korea, Washington, New Jersey, Northern Israel, Beirut, Forbes

The campaign began earlier this year and stopped before President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race last month, a Meta spokesperson said. The WhatsApp accounts claimed to be tech support for companies like AOL, Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, according to a Meta blog post. The same WhatsApp campaign also targeted users in Iran, Israel, Palestine and the United Kingdom, Meta said. However, the company would not necessarily know if a victim fell for the WhatsApp messages and gave the hackers valuable information that enabled access to their account. It’s unclear whether or how more of the hacked Trump files will surface before Election Day.

Persons: Biden, Meta, Joe Biden, ”, Donald Trump’s, Harris, Iran’s, Trump, The New York Times —, Hillary Clinton Organizations: Trump, AOL, Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, United Nations, NBC, Companies, Politico, The Washington Post, The New York Times, WikiLeaks Locations: U.S, Iran, Utah, Israel, Palestine, United Kingdom

The Utah department issued the notice July 30, but it has not been publicly disclosed until now. It said the hacking group continued a series of unsuccessful efforts from March 2023 to March 2024. The Utah department did not disclose precisely which organizations were targeted. A spokesperson for Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to an email requesting comment on the Utah hacking attempts. The Utah Department of Public Safety did not respond to an email requesting further information about the incidents.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, ”, Adam Meyers, Trump, Kamala Harris, Harris, Sergey Shykevich Organizations: NBC News, Utah Department of Public, Analysis, The, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Intel, Microsoft, Google, Revolutionary Guard, Trump, NBC, United Nations, U.S, The Utah Department of Public, Utah Geological Survey, Industry, CIA Locations: Utah, “ Utah, The U.S, The Utah, American, Three U.S, Iran, Islamic Republic, ” Utah

A glorious farewell to the 2024 OlympicsIt’s time to say au revoir to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Mark J. Terrill / APTeam USA eked out close wins in the men's and women's basketball finals, taking gold in the final weekend of the games. The men's team, which included all-stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant, brought home the fifth straight Olympic title for the Americans. Sunday's win by the women's team was its eighth straight Olympic gold. Other Olympic highlights:Trump campaign says it was hackedFormer President Donald Trump’s campaign has said it was hacked by an Iranian group.

Persons: H.E.R, Tom Cruise, Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, Dr, Dre, Team USA Stephen Curry, Mark J, Terrill, Steph Curry's, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Sunday's, A'ja Wilson, Jordan Chiles, Naomi Baker, Cecile Landi, Romanian Ana Bărbosu, Macron, Emmanuel Macron, Léon Marchand, Pascal Le Segretain, “, ”, Trump, Donald Trump’s, Steven Cheung, Trump’s, ” Cheung, Kamala Harris, Harris, Willie Brown, Omar Al, Uvalde shooter’s, Armando Ramos, Salvador Ramos, Leila, Gen Alpha, Zers, Alpha Organizations: Phoenix, Team USA, USA, WNBA, U.S, Getty, International Olympic, Paris Olympics, NBC News, Politico, Microsoft, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Trump Organization, San Francisco, Trump, Trump . White, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Robb Elementary School, NBC Locations: Paris, Los Angeles, Venice, U.S, France, China, Romanian, Iranian, “, Montana, Trump, Gaza City, AFP, Israel, Gaza, , Texas

☆ Israel and US brace for Iranian attack as diplomats push hard for Gaza ceasefire
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Israel and the United States are preparing for a potential Iranian attack on Israel as efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza intensify, with talks set to resume this week amid intense diplomacy to avert a wider regional war. A major Iranian attack reprisal against Israel could risk derailing the ceasefire talks that US officials have said were at an advanced stage prior to the assassination of Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which Iran blamed on Israel. But the country’s mission to the United Nations said on Saturday that Tehran’s retaliation to Israel’s suspected killing of Haniyeh is “totally unrelated to the Gaza ceasefire,” adding that it has a right to self-defense. Palestinians pray next to the bodies of those killed in an Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced people in Gaza City on Saturday. Egyptian and Qatari mediators have told Israel that Sinwar wants a deal, an Israeli source familiar with the matter told CNN.

Persons: CNN —, –, Ismail Haniyeh, Israel hasn’t, Israel, hasn’t, Iran’s, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “, ”, Haniyeh, Lloyd Austin, Israel “, William Gore, Lebanon –, Fu’ad Shukr, Abed Sabah, Yahya Sinwar –, Israel –, Joe Biden, Sinwar, Benjamin Netanyahu, Bibi, Netanyahu Organizations: CNN, Qatari, Doha, United, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, United Nations, US, USS, Pentagon, Congress, UN, Spc, US Navy, Reuters, –, US National Security Council, Israel Defense Forces Locations: CNN — Israel, United States, Israel, Gaza, Iran, Cairo, Egypt, Qatar, Tehran, France, Germany, United Kingdom, USS Georgia, Manama, Bahrain, Lebanon, Beirut, Gaza City

☆ F.B.I. Investigating Hacking That Trump Campaign Attributes to Iran
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Adam Goldman | More About Adam Goldman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

said on Monday that it was investigating whether the Trump campaign had been hacked, days after the former president said Iran had launched a cyberattack. The bureau did not specifically name Iran or former President Donald J. Trump but referred to news reports about a “campaign cyberintrusion.”“We can confirm the F.B.I. has said Iran, China and Russia were at the top of the list. Russia has a long history of trying to sow chaos in American elections, targeting the Democratic National Committee in 2016. The Trump campaign has so far provided no evidence of Iran’s involvement, but on Friday Microsoft said a hacking group run by the intelligence unit of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps had breached the account of a “former senior adviser” to a presidential campaign.

Persons: Trump, Donald J, ” Organizations: Democratic National Committee, Microsoft, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Locations: Iran, U.S, China, Russia

☆ The Hacking of Presidential Campaigns Begins, With the Usual Fog of Motives
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-11 | by ( David E. Sanger | Michael Gold | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For the third presidential election in a row, the foreign hacking of the campaigns has begun in earnest. But this time, it’s the Iranians, not the Russians, making the first significant move. On Friday, Microsoft released a report declaring that a hacking group run by the intelligence unit of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had successfully breached the account of a “former senior adviser” to a presidential campaign. From that account, Microsoft said, the group sent fake email messages, known as “spear phishing,” to “a high-ranking official of a presidential campaign” in an effort to break into the campaign’s own accounts and databases. The facts were murkier, and it is unclear what, if anything, the Iranian group, which Microsoft called Mint Sandstorm, was able to achieve.

Persons: ”, Donald J, Trump, ” Biden Organizations: Microsoft, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iranian Government

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign on Saturday said that it had been hacked by an Iranian group in June, “which coincides with the close timing of President Trump’s selection of a Vice Presidential nominee,” Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, told NBC News. The hack was first reported by Politico and NBC News has not independently verified that the hack took place or where it originated. Politico said that it began receiving emails from an anonymous account sharing internal documents from the Trump campaign in July. The documents included research papers on at least two of the contenders to be Trump’s running mate, including the eventual GOP vice presidential nominee: Ohio Sen. JD Vance. “The Iranians know that President Trump will stop their reign of terror just like he did in his first four years in the White House.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump’s, ” Steven Cheung, Trump, Ohio Sen, JD Vance, ” Cheung, Cheung, ”, Politico, “ Organizations: NBC News, Politico, Democratic, NBC, Microsoft, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, ” Microsoft, United Nations Locations: Iranian, “, United States, New York

☆ The Trump campaign, citing a Microsoft threat report, says it was hacked and blames 'foreign sources'
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe campaign of former President Donald Trump on Saturday said it had been hacked following Politico's receipt of internal campaign documents from an anonymous email account. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. So far, Politico has been unable to pinpoint the identity of the person behind the email account or the individual's reasoning for sending the materials to their outlet. Cheung did not disclose to Business Insider whether the campaign had contacted Microsoft or law enforcement officials. AdvertisementThe report did not identify the presidential campaign that was targeted.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Ohio Sen, JD Vance, Trump, Steven Cheung, Trump's, Cheung, Robert, Vance, Florida Sen, Marco Rubio Organizations: Service, Politico, Republican National Convention, Business, Democratic, Microsoft, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Trump Locations: Ohio, United States, Iranian, Florida

☆ Iran steps up influence campaign aimed at US voters with fake news sites, Microsoft says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Iranian operatives have ramped up their attempts to influence and monitor the US presidential election by creating fake news outlets targeting liberal and conservative voters and by trying to hack an unnamed presidential campaign, Microsoft said in research published late Thursday. Microsoft said it notified the campaign of the hacking attempt, but declined to say publicly which campaign it was. CNN has requested comment from the Trump campaign. The Iranian, Russian and Chinese governments routinely deny allegations of election influence operations. As president, Trump ordered the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, and he withdrew from a multilateral deal aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear program.

Persons: Donald Trump, ” Clint Watts, ”, Kamala Harris ’, Trump, Joe Biden’s, Russia “, China “, “, Qasem Soleimani Organizations: CNN, Iranian, Microsoft, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, CIA, FBI, National Intelligence, Russian, Ukraine, Service, Department Locations: MAGA, Iran, Savannah , Georgia, Russian, Ukrainian, Trump, Russia, U.S, China

☆ Iran is targeting the U.S. election with fake news sites and cyber operations, research says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Researchers identified websites that they attributed to the Iranian operation, aimed at voters on the political left and right. The group behind the sites, according to Microsoft, is part of a larger Iranian operation, active since 2020, that operates more than a dozen other fake news sites targeting English-, French-, Spanish- and Arabic-speaking audiences. But researchers say the sites could be used closer to the election. Iran has neither the intention nor plans to launch cyber attacks. The U.S. presidential election is an internal matter in which Iran does not interfere."

Persons: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris Organizations: Microsoft, International League for Women's, Analysis Center, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran's United Nations, Associated Press, U.S, Trump Locations: Iran, Russia, China, Savannah, U.S

☆ Pakistani man charged with murder-for-hire plot against U.S. politicians, potentially including Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dilanianmug.Jpg | Ken Dilanian | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

A Pakistani man allegedly tied to Iran has been charged with an elaborate plot to assassinate current and former government officials, potentially including former President Donald Trump. The complaint does not name an alleged target or targets, but a senior law enforcement official said Trump was one of the potential targets of this plot. Merchant allegedly told the confidential source that the “people who will be targeted are the ones who are hurting Pakistan and the world, [the] Muslim world. On June 10, Merchant allegedly met in New York with undercover law enforcement officers posing as assassins for hire. Asif Merchant paid the undercover law enforcement officers $5,000 so they knew they were going forward.

Persons: Donald Trump, Asif Merchant, Merchant, Trump, Lester Holt, Christopher Wray, DOJ Merchant, Qassem Soleimani, Butler, General Merrick Garland, “, ” Organizations: NBC, DOJ, NBC News, ., Quds Force, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Service, Trump, FBI Locations: Iran, Pennsylvania, Pa, Texas, New York, Pakistan

☆ Pakistani national with ties to Iran charged in connection to a foiled assassination plot potentially targeting Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Evan Perez | Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The plot revealed by US prosecutors on Tuesday adds to a growing list of detailed Iranian plans to allegedly kill Trump, according to national security officials. Although Merchant is a Pakistani national, prosecutors say he spent time in Iran and has family there. Once in the United States, Merchant allegedly contacted someone who he believed would assist him in the murder-for-hire plot. Merchant allegedly then told the confidential human source that the work was not a one-time opportunity and made a “finger gun” motion with his hand. Merchant planned to leave the country before the assassination, prosecutors say, but was arrested before he could go.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Asif Merchant, Merchant, Qasem, John Bolton, ”, General Merrick Garland, ” Merchant Organizations: CNN, The Justice, FBI, US, Service, Iranian, United Nations, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Locations: New York City, Brooklyn , New York, United States, Pennsylvania, Butler , Pennsylvania, Iran, US, Pakistani, New York

Beirut, Lebanon CNN —Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said his group will respond to Israel “regardless of the consequences” to avenge the assassination of the group’s top commander a week ago, but keeping Israelis waiting is “part of the punishment.”“Their government, their army, their society, their settlements and their occupiers are all waiting,” Nasrallah said. Keeping Israel waiting is “part of the battle,” he added. The monthslong, cross-border exchange of fire intensified Tuesday morning after Hezbollah launched a “swarm” of drones towards what it said are military targets in northern Israeli cities. The Israeli military said the building was used by Hezbollah. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his Islamic Revolutionary Guard promised Israel a “painful” response for the killing of Haniyeh in Tehran.

Persons: Hassan Nasrallah, ” “, ” Nasrallah, ”, Fuad Shukr, Ismail Haniyeh, Ali Khamenei, Israel, Asad, Defense Lloyd Austin, Antony Blinken, Haniyeh Organizations: Lebanon CNN, CNN, Israel Defense Forces, Iran’s, Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Al, Pentagon, Defense, Officials, Organization of Islamic Cooperation Locations: Beirut, Lebanon, Israel, Nahariya, Iran, Shukr, Tehran, Haniyeh, Asad Airbase, Iraq, Jordanian, Jeddah

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appears in CNN’s Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the region’s biggest stories. Such escalation could also jeopardize efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and release hostages, despite recent progress in negotiations. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed comprehensive security strategies to protect Israel, according to a statement on Monday. Israel was considering its options to prepare for a regional attack over the weekend. The country braces for war in its own way and tends to pick up after itself.

Persons: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ismail Haniyeh, ”, Israel, Israel hasn’t, “, Yoav Gallant, Defense Lloyd Austin, Michael Kurilla, Kurilla, Ayman Safadi, Badr Abdelatti, Ali Bagheri Kani, ‘, Masoud Pezeshkian, Safadi, Nasser Kanaani, Fu’ad Shukr, Majdal Shams, Hassan Nasrallah, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” “, ” Netanyahu, Ali Bagheri, Netanyahu, Gallant, Daniel Hagari, Lebanon scrambledto, floaties, Samer Othman, Jalaa Marey, Othman, Liz Nicholas, David Adom, Be’er, Ivana Reiser, Zeev Jabotinsky, Naama, ” Be’er, ” Baer, Reiser, Roy Dror, Ron Heckmann, they’re, Dror, ” Heckmann, Uri Shacham, Shacham Organizations: Jerusalem CNN —, Iran’s, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Saturday, US, Israeli, Defense, US Central Command, Jordanian, Egypt’s, Zionist, Israel, Iran, Sunday, Getty Images Israel, Hezbollah, CNN, Mount, Mount Herzl Military, Getty, MDA Locations: Beirut, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Israel, Iran, Tehran, Lebanon, Gaza, United States, Syria, Majdal, Golan, ”, AFP, Cairo, Lebanese, Beirut’s, Mount Herzl, London, Nahariyah

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