Hackers infiltrated Iran's popular prayer app and posted political messages

A popular Islamic prayer app called 'BadeSaba Calendar', used by over five million people in Iran, has been subjected to a hacker attack. On February 28, 2026, a series of anti-government messages were sent to its users through this app, and international media reports indicate that this was a cyber operation carried out by Israel.

Notifications issued through this app urged members of the Iranian security forces to abandon their duties and join the "liberation forces." Furthermore, another message stating "help has arrived" was included, which analysts suggest is linked to recent statements made by Donald Trump in support of Iranian protesters. The language of these messages was deliberately crafted to target the military and internal security forces rather than the general public.

This incident has been reported amidst severe unrest within Iran and a precarious backdrop where American and Israeli forces are attacking Iranian military targets. Shortly after these controversial messages were released, internet services across Iran almost completely collapsed, with internet connectivity dropping to 4% of normal levels, according to NetBlocks monitoring data. Due to these severe internet restrictions imposed by the government, it has been difficult to independently verify how many mobile phones received this message.

Although Israeli authorities have not yet officially claimed responsibility for this hacker attack, security sources indicate that this is one step in a broader cyber campaign launched by Israel against the Iranian regime. Creating confusion by hacking trusted applications and emergency alert systems during political and military crises, as well as undermining the morale of officials in state institutions, is considered a key cyber tactic long used by Israeli cyber units.