A cyber group known as Handala, believed to have links to Iran, claimed on Tuesday that it had released personal information of US Marines deployed in the Persian Gulf. In a post on its Telegram channel, the group said it had published the names and details of 2,379 personnel.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the hackers shared identifying information on Telegram, presenting the leak as evidence of their “surveillance capabilities”.
Iraq-based Shafaq News reported that the US personnel stationed in the region were sent threatening messages on WhatsApp, warning that they were under watch and could be targeted. The group further claimed it had access to deeper layers of data, including family information, home addresses, and even details about daily routines and troop movements. It also signalled that more disclosures could follow.
Pentagon Probes Breach
The incident has raised serious concerns within the US defence establishment, given the potential risks tied to exposing the identities and locations of military personnel. Officials are now working to determine the extent of the breach and evaluate its implications for operational security.
Investigators are expected to focus on how the data may have been obtained and whether additional systems were compromised.
Handala Also Hacked FBI Director’s Personal Email
The same group had publicly claimed the breach of FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal inbox last month, publishing photographs of the director and his purported resume on the internet.
On their website, the hacker group Handala Hack Team said Patel “will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims.”
Read | FBI Chief Kash Patel’s Personal Email Breached, Claim Iran-Linked Hackers
US-Iran Tensions
The alleged hack comes at a time of strained ties between Washington and Tehran. US President Donald Trump recently claimed that Iran had reached out under mounting pressure.
“Iran has just informed us that they are in a ‘State of Collapse.’ They want us to ‘Open the Hormuz Strait,’ as soon as possible,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
In a separate post, he said, “Iran can’t get their act together. They don’t know how to sign a non nuclear deal. They better get smart soon!”
Cyber Conflict Takes Centre Stage
The episode highlights how cyber operations are becoming a central front in geopolitical rivalries. Beyond traditional military and diplomatic arenas, digital attacks targeting personnel data, infrastructure, and communications are increasingly shaping modern conflict.
If verified, the breach could represent a notable escalation, demonstrating how state-linked or proxy actors can directly expose military personnel to risk outside conventional battle zones.