The hackers claimed to have carried out attacks on websites including the British Army, Royal Navy and Office for Nuclear Security [GETTY]
A network of pro-Palestinian hacktivists has been launching weekly cyber operations targeting British institutions, as part of a broader campaign against countries allied with Israel amid its brutal onslaught on Gaza.
The Holy League, a coalition of over 90 hacktivist groups, has emerged as a prominent player in the digital campaign against Israel and its allies, including the United Kingdom, according to The Times.
While the group includes pro-Russian hackers aligned with opposition to Western military involvement in Ukraine, it is also said to feature individuals trained by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The Times reports that British government agencies and intelligence services across Europe have been repeatedly targeted.
The group has claimed responsibility for attacks on the websites of the British Army, Royal Navy, MI6 and the Office for Nuclear Security.
“Our message is clear: this is just a warning… and worse is yet to come,” a statement on the group’s Telegram channel said.
The cyberattack was reportedly led by Mr Hamza, a pro-Palestinian hacker believed to be based in Morocco.
While most of the actions have been symbolic or low-impact—often taking the form of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks that temporarily take down public-facing websites, they reflect rising frustration with Western governments’ continued support for Israel.
The UK’s intelligence and cyber defence agency, GCHQ, has described state-aligned hacking groups as a growing threat to national infrastructure, although the majority of recent operations appear focused on messaging rather than disruption.
The group often provides technical proof of its claims by sharing “check host” links, demonstrating that the targeted websites were inaccessible at the time of the attack.
Earlier this year, Elon Musk’s platform X was hit by a DDoS attack. Although initial blame was directed at hackers from Ukraine, a pro-Palestinian group called Dark Storm Team later claimed responsibility. While not a member of the Holy League, the group has previously collaborated with some of its affiliates.
The Holy League was reportedly formed in late summer 2024 by Abu Omar, also known as the leader of the Cyber Islamic Resistance.
In an interview with Russian state media, Omar described the group as a transnational alliance working with counterparts in Russia, Belarus, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, and across the Middle East.
“Victory is when the wars end with the dismantling of the Evil Empire – Ukraine, Israel and NATO,” he said, referencing the bloc of countries viewed as driving conflict and occupation.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), in its 2024 annual review, noted a rise in politically motivated cyber operations originating from Russia and Iran. These actions increasingly target individuals and organisations with links to Middle Eastern affairs – ranging from government figures and journalists to civil society actors.
