Jerusalem Post hacked on Iran general’s assassination anniversary

JERUSALEM - Israel's Jerusalem Post newspaper said on Monday its website had been hacked, in what it said was an apparent threat to the country.

Instead of displaying a main news page, the website showed an illustration that appeared to recall top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated in a US drone strike in Iran on this day in 2020.

The illustration showed a bullet-shaped object shooting out of a red ring worn on a finger, an apparent reference to a distinctive ring Soleimani used to wear.

The Jerusalem Post, an English-language daily, tweeted that it was working to resolve the issue.

"We are aware of the apparent hacking of our website, alongside a direct threat (to) Israel," it said.

Its mobile app did not appear to be affected, and other major Israeli news websites were working normally.

The newspaper later restored its website. It noted Iran-supporting hackers previously targeted its homepage in 2020 "with an illustration of Tel Aviv burning as then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu swam" with a life preserver.

There was no immediate response from the Israeli government. The hack comes after Israel’s former military intelligence chief in late December publicly acknowledged his country was involved in Soleimani's killing.

Iran also did not immediately acknowledge the hack. However, the country has in recent days stepped up its commemorations of the slain Revolutionary Guard general. Memorial services were scheduled to be held Monday marking his death.