Washington DC [US], March 2 : The US Department of Homeland Security has issued a warning about possible lone-wolf and cyberattacks in the country amid ongoing US military strikes in Iran, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by ABC News.
The bulletin, issued on Saturday, cautioned that while a large-scale physical attack is considered unlikely, Iran and its proxies continue to pose a persistent threat of targeted attacks on US soil and could escalate retaliatory actions if reports of the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah were confirmed.
"Although a large-scale physical attack is unlikely, Iran and its proxies probably pose a persistent threat of targeted attacks in the Homeland, and will almost certainly escalate retaliatory actionsor calls to actionif reports of the Ayatollah's death are confirmed," the bulletin read as quoted by ABC News.
"In the short-term, we are most concerned that Iran-aligned hacktivists will conduct low-level cyber attacks against US networks, such as website defacements and distributed denial-of-service attacks," the bulletin added.
The bulletin noted that physical attacks in the US by individuals motivated by Iran are rare.
"Lone offenders in the Homeland have not historically been motivated by issues related to Iran, the IRGC, or Shia violent extremism; however, the existential threat to the Iranian regime and increased US or Israeli actions could prompt some US-based violent extremists or hate crime perpetrators to attack targets perceived to be Jewish, pro-Israel, or linked to the US government or military," it added, as quoted by ABC News.
The alert was issued on Saturday, a day before a mass shooting in a bar in Austin, Texas, where at least three people were killed, and 14 others were injured.
According to ABC News, authorities are investigating whether the suspect, who was reportedly wearing a sweatshirt with "Property of Allah" and a shirt featuring "Iran" and the Iranian flag, was inspired by the overseas situation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Force has joined the investigation into the mass shooting, and according to officials, there were indicators on the suspect and in his vehicle suggesting a "potential nexus to terrorism".
Meanwhile, the US Central Command confirmed that the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, is participating in the operation alongside US forces, launching aircraft from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury.
"USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the world's largest aircraft carrier, is in the fight with U.S. forces supporting Operation Epic Fury - launching aircraft from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea," the Centcom stated in a post on X.
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