Iran sent mass text messages to many Israeli cellphone users overnight, urging them to cooperate on intelligence efforts and share information about sensitive sites. The messages, written in Hebrew, invited recipients to contact Iranian embassies or mark locations on an online map, and included ominous references to seeing 'stars' and a 'sun' in the night sky, apparently alluding to missile attacks.

Israel's National Cyber Directorate described the campaign as a familiar attempt to influence public perception and create panic. It warned recipients not to respond, click on any links, or forward the messages, stressing that receiving the texts did not mean their phones had been hacked.

Police said they received numerous calls from concerned citizens and echoed the warning not to engage with the messages. Authorities said the outreach was intended to spark fear and recruit Israelis, both domestically and abroad, for intelligence gathering and potential hostile activity.

A cybersecurity expert noted that while Iran had previously attempted similar operations discreetly, this effort was conducted openly. In recent years, several Israelis have been arrested on suspicion of carrying out tasks for Iran-linked agents, often beginning with minor assignments that escalated into more serious offenses.