IRGC-Affiliated Channel Acknowledges Slain Iranian Intel Deputy Led Khanzala Cyber Group

New details have emerged regarding the operational significance of Seyed Yehia Hosseini Panjaki, whose death in Tehran was previously confirmed during the opening stages of Operation Roaring Lion. According to material reviewed by The Zioneer Intelligence Desk, an IRGC-linked source briefly published a confirmation that Panjaki was the commander of 'Khanzala', a cyber unit that has aggressively targeted Israeli leadership and international security figures.

The Architect of Cyber-Terror

Panjaki served as the Deputy Minister of Intelligence (MOIS) and was specifically tasked with overseeing the 'Israel Desk'. In this capacity, he was the primary architect of intelligence operations, espionage, and plots involving kidnapping and sabotage against Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide. Beyond his administrative role, he personally directed Khanzala, a group that gained notoriety for exfiltrating data from the mobile phones of IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, and FBI Director Kash Patel.

Sanctions and Elimination

In September 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Panjaki, identifying him as a key figure in Iranian assassination plots and human rights abuses in the West. He was subsequently killed in a precision strike on the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence headquarters in the Dardasht neighborhood of Tehran. The IDF took responsibility for the strike, which occurred during the initial phase of Operation Roaring Lion.

Analysis: Bridging State and Proxy

The brief acknowledgment by IRGC-affiliated channels provides a rare glimpse into the integration of Iran's formal bureaucracy with its clandestine cyber proxies. While Khanzala often presented itself as an independent collective, the confirmation of Panjaki’s leadership proves it was a direct arm of the MOIS. The deletion of the post suggests internal friction or a desire by the Iranian regime to maintain a degree of plausible deniability regarding its direct involvement in high-level cyber espionage against foreign officials.