'Heightened threat environment': US issues terrorism advisory warning after striking Iran

The US administration issued a warning of a "heightened threat environment" in the United States after its military strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. The bulletin issued by the National terrorism Advisory System did not mention Operation Midnight Hammer but warned Americans of "low-level cyber attacks" against US networks amid the ongoing "Iran conflict".

"The ongoing Iran conflict is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States. Low-level cyber attacks against US networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely, and cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may conduct attacks against US networks," it said.

"Iran also has a long-standing commitment to target US Government officials it views as responsible for the death of an Iranian military commander killed in January 2020. The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland. Multiple recent Homeland terrorist attacks have been motivated by anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiment, and the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict could contribute to US-based individuals plotting additional attacks," the advisory said.

Iran had previously vowed to retaliate if the U.S. joined Israel's attack, which started June 13 with Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets. More than 650 people have been killed and at least 2,000 have been wounded in Iran since then, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. At least 24 have also been killed in Israel, and hundreds wounded, in Iran's retaliatory missile and drone strikes, according to estimates from the Israeli military. The conflict has played out as Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza continues.

Law enforcement officials in New York City said Saturday night that they were "deploying additional resources" to certain sites as a precaution. The NYPD posted: "We're tracking the situation unfolding in Iran. Out of an abundance of caution, we're deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners. We'll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC."