Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reportedly used an advanced missile system for the first time in its latest attack on Israel, while a major cyberattack disrupted services at Iran's central Bank Sepah.
Brig Gen Reza Talaee Nik, spokesperson for Iran’s Defense Ministry, told state television on Tuesday that the new missile successfully penetrated advanced air defense systems, including those supported by the United States, and struck a key Israeli security and intelligence center.
“Today's operation by the IRGC is one of the portions of the strength of the armed forces and demonstrated the intelligence superiority of the armed forces. Today, the regime's security and intelligence center was hit by a precision-guided missile which crossed thick layers of air defense, to which the United States is contributing, which in turn shows the miserable situation the Zionist regime is in,” the general said.
"In the military field, we have the upper hand by having advanced, indigenously made weapons."
He added that the missile was indigenously developed and used for the first time in this conflict. “The enemy was unable to intercept it. Using these weapons will reduce the resilience of the Zionist enemy over time,” he said.
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The Iranian spokesperson emphasized that although Iran was forced into a defensive posture due to Israeli aggression, it is now leveraging all offensive capabilities. He also warned of more “surprises” to come, saying the Israeli regime “cannot withstand a long-term strategic war.”
Cyberattack cripples bank
On the same day, Iranian banking systems suffered a severe blow when the hacker group 'Predatory Sparrow' claimed responsibility for a massive cyberattack targeting Bank Sepah, one of the oldest banks in Iran and a key financial arm of the IRGC.
The group alleged it had “destroyed all data” at Bank Sepah, sparking widespread service outages. Multiple branches were closed on Tuesday, and customers across Iran reported being unable to access their accounts.
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Bank Sepah operates over 1,800 branches in Iran and has a presence in the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. According to the hackers’ statement, “Bank Sepah was an institution that circumvented international sanctions and used the people of Iran’s money to finance the regime’s terrorist proxies, its ballistic missile program, and its military nuclear program.”
"This is what happens to institutions dedicated to maintaining the dictator’s terrorist fantasies. We thank the brave Iranians whose help made this operation possible," they added.
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Fars News confirmed that Bank Sepah's online systems were affected, including those connected to Iran’s gas station network, which also experienced disruptions. However, the Iranian state media stopped short of assigning responsibility.
Users also reported that payment cards from Kosar and Ansar banks — both also linked to Iran’s armed forces — were not functioning, further fueling speculation of a broader coordinated cyber offensive.
