JERUSALEM – Earlier this week, a notorious Internet hacker group known as “Anonymous” took responsibility for crashing dozens of Israeli websites – including those of the IDF, Mossad and Ministry of Finance – by breaching sophisticated firewall defenses.
The IDF and Mossad denied the assertions by the hacker group that it was behind the attack, with an IDF spokesperson claiming the computer glitches were all attributable to a widespread “server problem.”
Recently, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced the formation of an advanced IDF Cyber (Internet) Warfare Center that would be integrated into the military intelligence’s secret Mamram (Center of Computing and Information Systems) and Unit 8200 commands.
According to various news reports, Unit 8200 was allegedly responsible for “shutting off” Syrian radar and anti-aircraft batteries during the Israeli Air Force raid upon a Syrian nuclear development site in 2007.
Meanwhile, the growing Iranian nuclear threat prompted the IDF and U.S. military to announce a large-scale exercise scheduled for May 2012 that will involve thousands of army, air force and naval personnel and the testing of several highly advanced missile defense systems including the U. S. Army’s THAAD (Thermal High-Altitude Area Defense) and Israel’s Arrow 2 and perhaps Arrow 3 missile interceptors.
The Arrow 3 system, which is being built by Israel Aircraft Industries and is partially funded by the U.S., reportedly has been fast-tracked by Netanyahu.
The Arrow 3 is being built to intercept ballistic missiles with conventional and unconventional warheads high above the atmosphere and far beyond Israel’s borders. It is also designed to give Israel’s missile defense teams a second opportunity to shoot down incoming missiles if the initial strikes miss their target.