Critical infrastructure, official news sites and secure communications systems reportedly stopped functioning, leaving the leadership in a domestic and international communications blackout.
As fighter jets and cruise missiles struck the IRGC command center, a parallel front reportedly crippled the Islamic Republic from within. Reports on Saturday, February 28, 2026, indicate that Iran has entered an almost complete digital fog in what appears to be a massive cyberattack accompanying Operation Lion’s Roar.
Critical infrastructure, official news sites and secure communications systems reportedly stopped functioning, leaving the leadership in a domestic and international communications blackout.
NetBlocks confirmed on Saturday that internet connectivity in Iran fell to extremely low levels, reaching 4% of normal traffic, meaning access is almost completely shut down across the country. The attack also reportedly hit the regime’s propaganda arm: the IRGC website was offline for an extended period of time, TasnimIran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has experienced significant outages and hacking attacks, reportedly showing subversive messages targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
On February 28, 2026, in Tehran, Iran, thick smoke rose from the explosion after Israel and the United States launched an attack on Iran. (Photo source: MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA)
Aiming to thwart attacks coordinated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Western intelligence sources say the destruction of the IRGC’s communications infrastructure was intended to prevent a coordinated counterattack and disrupt the ability of Iran’s cyber and electronic forces to launch drones and ballistic missiles.
In addition to website outages, reports from Tehran and other major cities such as Isfahan and Shiraz described glitches with local apps and government digital services. The operation is considered the culmination of a movement that began in January, when government satellite broadcasts were hacked and content calling for the overthrow of the regime was reportedly broadcast to millions of homes.
Saturday’s attack was described as unprecedented in scale, combining electronic warfare to disrupt navigation and communications systems with denial-of-service attacks (DDoS) and deep intrusions into data systems related to the country’s energy and aviation infrastructure. When the regime tried to rely on its isolated “National Internet” network, reports suggest it also failed under the pressure of the coalition offensive, leaving Iran exposed and isolated at a time of severe crisis.
