Pentagon On Alert: Personal Data Of US Marines Exposed In Suspected Iran-Backed Cyberattack

Last Updated:April 29, 2026, 15:10 IST

US Marines' Data Leak: The hackers published names and personal details of US Marines on a Telegram channel, describing the leak as proof of their “surveillance capabilities.”

US Marines’ Data Leak: A hacker group reportedly linked to Iran is said to have leaked the personal data of thousands of US Marines deployed in West Asia, prompting an investigation by the US Defense Department. The Wall Street Journal reported that the group released personal information belonging to more than 2,000 Marines while a separate report by Arab news outlet Shafaq.com identified the number as 2,379 and said the cyberattack was carried out by a group calling itself Handala, also referred to as Hanzala.

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The hackers allegedly published names and personal details of US Marines on a Telegram channel, describing the leak as proof of their “surveillance capabilities." Shafaq.com reported that US troops stationed in the region received warning messages via WhatsApp claiming they were under surveillance and could be targeted. The group further claimed it possessed additional information on American personnel, including family details, home addresses, routines and daily movements and threatened to release more material later.

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Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that Iran had contacted him and said the country was in a “state of collapse," adding that Tehran wanted the US to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as possible."

“Iran has just informed us that they are in a ‘State of Collapse.’ They want us to ‘Open the Hormuz Strait,’ as soon as possible," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

In a separate post, the US President wrote, warning Tehran, “Iran can’t get their act together. They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!"

News world Pentagon On Alert: Personal Data Of US Marines Exposed In Suspected Iran-Backed Cyberattack

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