Publications

Author: Megi Benia, UGSPN Affiliated Fellow

Abstract

The June 2025 Israel-Iran War introduced a new and alarming dimension to regional conflict: the deep integration of cyber warfare with conventional kinetic strikes. This paper examines the cyber operations launched by both states during the brief but intense conflict, detailing their targets, methods, and strategic effects. It analyzes how Israel targeted Iranian financial and maritime infrastructure while Iran responded with disruptive attacks, disinformation, and widespread surveillance manipulation. The study then explores the profound implications of this digital battlefield for regional security, modern military doctrine, international law, and escalation dynamics. Based on open-source intelligence and expert analysis of pre-existing capabilities, the paper traces how both nations leveraged their cyber arsenals not just as tactical tools but as potent psychological weapons. The digital spillover into neighboring Gulf states and the deliberate, although limited, nature of the attacks highlight the emergence of new, unwritten rules of engagement. The paper concludes with lessons learned, which can pave the way to develop robust deterrence strategies, resilience frameworks, and diplomatic norms adequate to meet the challenges of future hybrid wars, where the digital front is inseparable from the physical one.