Iranian Leadership Targeted in US-Israeli Strikes: Pegasus Spyware Under Scrutiny
As many as 25 top Iranian personalities, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, powerful ministers, military commanders, and intelligence heads, were killed in coordinated US-Israeli strikes. The attacks have sparked intense speculation about the role of advanced cyber surveillance tools, particularly the infamous Pegasus spyware developed by the Israeli private company NSO Group.
Unit 8200 and the Pegasus Connection
Questions arise whether these strikes were facilitated by the Pegasus system, similar to the recent incident where thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon exploded simultaneously. This operation is attributed to Unit 8200, the signals intelligence branch of Israel's military, known for its lethal cyber capabilities. Late Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah had previously accused Israel of using cell networks to track his operatives, though he did not specify the agency behind such actions.
NSO Group, the producer of Pegasus, has deep ties to Unit 8200. One of its three owners is a retired senior officer from this unit, and a significant portion of its employees are former Unit 8200 members. Pegasus is renowned for its zero-click exploits, allowing clients to take control of a target's phone without any user interaction. Once installed, it grants complete access to the device, bypassing encrypted apps like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram, and enabling remote audio and video recording, GPS tracking, and data extraction.
Global Exposure and US Blacklisting
In recent years, governments have adopted a hit-and-run strategy using Pegasus to avoid detection. However, a global investigation by over 80 journalists from 17 media outlets, supported by Amnesty International's Security Lab, revealed that Pegasus targeted more than 50,000 phones, including those of 600 politicians, Arab royals, business executives, journalists, and human rights activists.
The United States stands out as the only country to blacklist Pegasus, with former President Joe Biden imposing restrictions that limited its use by federal agencies. This move came after media consortia and rights groups exposed abuse by over 40 client countries. Interestingly, if Pegasus was used to trace Iranian leaders killed in strikes, it would be embarrassing for the US, given its 2022 blacklisting of NSO.
NSO's Lobbying Efforts and Legal Battles
Since US-Israel attacks on Iran began in 2023, NSO has aggressively promoted Pegasus, offering to help track Hamas kidnappings and lobbying US officials. Before Donald Trump's administration, lobbyist Paul Hastings urged a meeting with former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, citing the need for Pegasus in conflicts with Iran and Hamas. After disappointment with Biden, NSO partnered with the Vogel Group, which had ties to Trump, and invested over $3 million in lobbying Republican allies.
Despite these efforts, NSO remains blacklisted, and it is unclear if the US or Israel secretly uses Pegasus against Iranian leadership. The spyware could aid in locating and tracking targets, as evidenced by the cautious movements of Iranian leaders before their deaths. Iran claims new Supreme Leader Mujtaba sustained only minor injuries in the strikes.
Legal Repercussions and Industry Accountability
NSO, though private, operates closely with Israeli intelligence, primarily providing Pegasus to government agencies for targeting terrorists and criminals, with approval from Israel's Ministry of Defence. However, reports indicate misuse against political opponents. The company claims 60 government clients across 40 countries but cannot disclose names due to commercial obligations.
On May 7, 2025, a California jury ordered NSO to pay $158 million in a case brought by Meta Platforms, owner of WhatsApp, over a hack affecting 1,400 accounts, likely by Saudi Arabia. Amnesty International hailed this as a signal against impunity for spyware firms. Despite this, on June 24, 2025, WhatsApp was banned from US House devices over security concerns, highlighting ongoing tensions in digital privacy.
As investigations continue, the role of Pegasus in geopolitical conflicts underscores the urgent need for accountability in the surveillance industry, with calls for stronger judicial actions to protect human rights globally.
