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Yehia Hosseini Panjaki

Yehia Hosseini Panjaki was the commander of 'Khanzala', an Iranian cyber-warfare group linked to the IRGC that targeted high-ranking Israeli officials. He was reportedly killed in a targeted strike during the ongoing conflict.

The Zioneer Intelligence Desk
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Yehia Hosseini Panjaki served as the commander of the Iranian hacker collective known as 'Khanzala'. This group has been identified as a significant arm of Iran's cyber-offensive operations, specifically focused on psychological warfare and data exfiltration against the State of Israel. Under Panjaki's leadership, Khanzala gained notoriety for its targeted operations against senior Israeli political and military figures. These operations included the successful exfiltration of data from the personal cellphones of former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and the Prime Minister's Office Chief of Staff Tzachi Braverman.

Panjaki's role as the head of the organization was officially confirmed for the first time in June 2026 by sources affiliated with the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This confirmation coincided with reports of his death in a targeted strike, which is widely attributed to Israeli operations. His elimination represents a significant blow to the Iranian regime's specialized cyber units, which have increasingly integrated digital espionage with kinetic conflict. The group's activities under Panjaki were characterized by the public release of stolen personal information, intended to create domestic pressure and compromise the security of Israel's leadership. The disclosure of his identity and subsequent death underscores the high-stakes nature of the shadow war between Israel and Iran, where cyber commanders are now viewed as high-value military targets.

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Full Reports

  • Iranian hacker group 'Khanzala' commander Panjaki confirmed killed in targeted strike

    Yehia Hosseini Panjaki, the commander of the Iranian cyber-warfare group 'Khanzala', was killed in a targeted strike during the recent conflict in Iran. Sources affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence confirmed his death and publicly acknowledged for the first time his role as the leader of the group, which has targeted high-ranking Israeli political and military figures.

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