A sweeping Israeli campaign on June 17 delivered a series of coordinated military strikes and cyber operations that placed the Islamic Republic of Iran under mounting pressure. Israel eliminated the most senior Iranian military commander and disrupted parts of the country’s banking infrastructure.

The combination of kinetic and cyber-attacks has stirred concern within Tehran, as Western powers hint at possible military engagement and Iran’s leadership works to maintain control.

The latest kinetic operations and assassinations

The most senior military figure in the Islamic Republic, Major General Ali Shadmani, was killed in an airstrike on a command center in central Tehran on June 17. Shadmani, who led both the General Staff and the regime’s emergency war headquarters, was the closest military figure to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. His appointment had come just four days ago after the death of his predecessor, Gholam Ali Rashid, who was killed in the opening strikes of Operation Rising Lion.

The IDF statement added that the IRGC’s Khatam al Anbiya command, under Shadmani’s leadership, was tasked with operational planning for Iran’s missile strikes against Israel. His death deals yet another blow to Iran’s military hierarchy, already reeling from a cascade of high-level assassinations.

In its wrap-up update for June 16, the IDF announced that a sweeping series of operations took place inside Iran during a 24-hour span. Israeli fighter jets destroyed two Iranian F-14s at a Tehran airbase, struck a missile launcher convoy on the Tehran-Qom highway, and targeted a regime media complex used for military activity. Trucks smuggling missiles into the capital were also intercepted and destroyed.

The IDF said around 100 military sites were hit, including one-third of Iran’s missile launch platforms, and confirmed the assassinations of four senior intelligence officials, among them the head of the IRGC Intelligence Organization. That same night, Israeli naval forces intercepted eight Iranian drones, marking the first operational use of the Barak Magen air defense system.

Israeli cyberattacks

Axios reported that the Israeli-linked hacker group “Predatory Sparrow” claimed responsibility for disabling the operations of Bank Sepah, “one of Iran’s oldest financial institutions with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Army.” The hacker group, known in Persian as “Gonjeshke Darande,” claimed it also erased data belonging to Iran’s state-run banking system.

The London-based Iran International corroborated the cyberattack through citizen reports, confirming that Bank Sepah was entirely offline, with online account access disabled. ATM cards issued by Bank Sepah, as well as the Ansar and Kosar banks, reportedly stopped functioning, pointing to a broader disruption of Iran’s financial infrastructure.

According to the London-based Persian-language outlet Manoto, Bank Melli, one of Iran’s largest financial institutions, was also taken offline on June 17, presumably due to a cyberattack.

Iranian pager fears and digital lockdowns

In a sign of intensifying paranoia, the IRGC’s Cybersecurity Command ordered officials and their security teams to avoid all internet-connected devices, including phones, smartwatches, and laptops.

The IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency cited the order, warning: “Cybersecurity Command: Officials and security teams are prohibited from using all equipment connected to communication networks, including phones, smart watches, portable computers, etc. Be sure to minimize the use of smart devices connected to the Internet and take the necessary precautions.”

The directive points to fears of another “pager-style” attack—referencing previous Israeli operations that used explosive pagers to eliminate dozens and injure thousands of Lebanese Hezbollah fighters in September 2024.

The Western response to the conflict

“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on June 17. “He is an easy target but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.” Trump demanded Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.”

Iran International reported on June 17 that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has delegated significant powers to the Supreme IRGC Council while retreating from public view. The council, empowered by the IRGC charter, now oversees operations traditionally managed by the supreme leader, including the actions of the IRGC’s commander. Khamenei and his family are reportedly sheltering in underground bunkers to avoid Israeli airstrikes.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US may soon join Israeli strikes if Iran refuses to negotiate. Speaking to Axel Springer’s Global Reporters at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, Merz stated, “We have talked about this … the decisions will probably be made in the near future.”

According to Reuters, three US officials confirmed Washington has deployed additional F-16, F-22, and F-35 fighter jets to the Middle East. Two officials noted that the increased US air presence is defensive and aimed at intercepting drones and missiles launched by Iran.