Homeland Security officials issued a heightened alert to Americans this week, warning of increased risks following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. An advisory released June 22 forecasts likely cyberattacks by low-level “hacktivists,” and cautions that more coordinated assaults could follow if Iran’s leadership issues religious calls for retaliation on U.S. territory.
The alert underscores Iran’s longstanding intent to target U.S. officials after the 2020 killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, and suggests that recent U.S. military action will only intensify that resolve. It also highlights an elevated threat of antisemitic violence domestically, noting that several recent extremist attacks in the U.S. have been driven by anti-Israel sentiment.
The U.S. military launched “Operation Midnight Hammer” on June 21, using B‑2 bombers to drop bunker‑busting munitions on Iran’s Fordow nuclear site and Tomahawks on Isfahan and Natanz. Secretary of Defense officials said over 125 military assets—including airplanes, submarines, and ships—were involved.
The DHS alert remains in effect until September 22 and warns that Iranian-backed extremist plots have previously been thwarted on U.S. soil. It also notes that both government-linked and independent hackers may intensify cyberattacks against poorly defended infrastructure—such as power grids, water systems, hospitals, and space networks.
Cybersecurity expert Greg Falco of Cornell University described Iranian hacktivists as a “shadow army” capable of grave societal disruption. He warned that these actors, already positioned within critical systems, could detonate significant harm at any moment.
Domestically, law enforcement is ramping up defenses. The NYPD has increased patrols at religious and cultural sites. LAPD is similarly reinforcing safety near places of worship, while Michigan authorities have activated National Guard and state police support.
Civil rights organizations are also on alert. The Anti-Defamation League is coordinating with officials to protect Jewish communities, while the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the U.S. strikes as “illegal and unjustified,” warning they could drag the nation into further conflict and exacerbate Islamophobia.
