The United States is warning of a \u201cheightened threat environment\u201d after President Trump ordered strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday evening.<\/p>\n
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) bulletin<\/a> on Sunday, alerting the public to the potential of cyberattacks carried out by those who support Iran or are affiliated with the Iranian government.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ongoing Iran conflict is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States. Low-level cyber attacks against US networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely, and cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may conduct attacks against US networks,\u201d the bulletin read.<\/p>\n The bulletin also noted that the Iranian government, in recent years, has sought to target U.S. government officials it deems responsible for killing the former Iranian military officer, Qasem Soleimani.<\/p>\n \u201cThe likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland,\u201d the bulletin read.<\/p>\n The bulletin warned that the ongoing conflict \u201ccould contribute to US-based individuals plotting additional attacks\u201d on U.S. soil that are \u201cmotivated by anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is our duty to keep the nation safe and informed, especially during times of conflict. The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict brings the possibility of increased threat to the homeland in the form of possible cyberattacks, acts of violence, and antisemitic hate crimes,\u201d DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement to The Hill.<\/p>\n Trump announced Saturday evening that U.S. forces bombed<\/a> three Iranian nuclear sites and said to Iran in a social media post, \u201cNOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!\u201d<\/p>\n The bombs targeted three nuclear sites in Natanz, Esfahan and Fordow, located inside a mountain. Six \u201cbunker buster\u201d bombs were reportedly dropped on Fordow, while more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles were launched at the other two sites.<\/p>\n