Justice Department Seizes Websites Accused of Spreading Terrorist Propaganda

In a significant move against online terrorism, the Justice Department seized four websites Thursday that officials say were operated by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security as part of psychological warfare operations targeting perceived adversaries and spreading terrorist propaganda.

The seized sites were allegedly used to post stolen sensitive data and issue calls for violence against journalists, regime dissidents, and Israeli citizens, according to a DOJ announcement on Friday. The operation represents an escalation in U.S. efforts to combat state-sponsored digital threats.

“Terrorist propaganda online can incite real-world violence,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in the announcement. FBI Director Kash Patel added that the “FBI will hunt down every actor behind these cowardly death threats and cyberattacks and will bring the full force of American law enforcement down on them.”

The timing of these website seizures is particularly significant, coming just a week after two separate attacks on U.S. institutions that are being investigated as acts of terrorism. The first occurred at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and the second at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.

Authorities are still investigating the exact motives behind both attacks. The Michigan synagogue attacker, who died in a shootout with security after driving a truck into the building, had previously been flagged in U.S. government databases for connections with suspected members of Hezbollah, though officials believe he was not a member himself.

In the Old Dominion University attack, the perpetrator—identified as a veteran and convicted ISIS supporter—killed one person and injured two others before being killed by ROTC students in the classroom where he opened fire. These incidents highlight the real-world consequences of online radicalization and terrorist propaganda.

The Justice Department revealed that the Iranian websites had posted detailed personal information on 190 Israeli government associates, including photos and names, along with explicit threats. The sites were also allegedly involved in broader hacking operations and calls for assassinations against Iranian targets.

According to the DOJ statement, “threat actors” associated with one website “directed online threats toward individuals who publicly criticized the Iranian government.” Officials say these campaigns are designed to “discourage independent reporting” and create “fear among members of the Iranian diaspora critical of the regime.”

The seizures come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli strikes last month. Military strikes have continued daily since that operation, increasing concerns about potential Iranian retaliation both in the region and through asymmetric means like cyberattacks and terrorist proxies.

Cybersecurity experts have long warned about Iran’s sophisticated digital operations, which blend propaganda, hacking, and direct threats into coordinated campaigns. These operations have increasingly targeted diaspora communities and critics living abroad, extending the regime’s reach beyond its borders.

The DOJ’s action represents part of a broader U.S. strategy to counter Iranian influence operations, which have become more aggressive following the breakdown of the nuclear agreement and amid ongoing regional conflicts. By taking down these websites, authorities aim to disrupt Iran’s ability to coordinate online campaigns that could inspire violence.

Law enforcement officials emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, suggesting that additional actions may be forthcoming as they continue to identify and counter Iranian digital threat networks operating against U.S. interests and allies.