Iran-linked hackers briefly hijack US Space Force official's Instagram account

A senior US Space Force official's Instagram account was briefly taken over on Sunday and used to post pro-Iran and anti-US material, according to the supplied report. The account belonged to Chief Master Sgt. John Bentivegna, who later warned colleagues not to click on links or engage with videos posted from his account.

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A Space Force spokesperson confirmed the breach, but did not say how long the content remained visible or who was responsible. The posts reportedly included audio from "Hanoi Hannah", the Vietnam War-era propagandist, along with a message urging US soldiers to "leave a sinking ship". The material also featured images of Iranian security official Ali Larijani, as described in the report.

Bentivegna said in a Facebook post that his team was working with the appropriate teams to regain access and resolve the issue as quickly as possible. The incident comes amid wider warnings from US military leaders that personnel's phones and online accounts could be targeted during the conflict. The report says that in late April several US Marine Corps personnel, civilian employees and their families received what the Navy described as "unsubstantiated" threats by text message from suspected Iranian hackers.

It also says that in March Iranian hackers breached the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel and leaked some old emails and photographs. The breach matters because it shows how a social media account linked to a senior military figure can be used for propaganda and possible intimidation. Even if the takeover was brief, it created a public channel for messaging aimed at US personnel and highlighted the vulnerability of official and personal accounts.