Iran linked to teen assassins in Europe and US cyberattacks

What happened: Between a network of teenage assassins in Europe and its suspected involvement in cyberattacks in the US, Iran has been in the news across recent days for far more than the war with the United States. 

Why it matters: Overall, the damage wrought by these attacks is relatively small. However, their purpose is less about the magnitude of suffering they inflict than with the fear and uncertainty they can breed. And learning how to cope with fear, regardless of its source, is a crucial part of growing in our walk with the Lord. 

A network of disposable killers

When I think of a hitman for hire, my mind typically goes toward a James Bond or John Wick kind of archetype. But in much of Europe, hapless teenagers with far too much time spent playing video games have become more common. And they’ve proven to be exactly what their handlers at the Foxtrot Network are looking for. 

As Daniel Sandford describes, “Since 2022, the Foxtrot Network is thought to have been responsible for about 35 murders as well as a number of attacks and attempted attacks on Israeli targets in Europe, including two involving explosives and hand grenades.” 

The organization recruits teenagers through social media and gives them “gamified” instructions, guiding them to cash drops, hidden weapons, and targets in ways that sound more at home in spy games and mystery novels than reality. One of the handlers in a recent case even went by the name of “Agent 47,” the main character in the Hitman video game franchise.

That the teenagers are typically caught is seen as a feature rather than a bug since it means Foxtrot doesn’t end up paying for the murder. The man in charge, Rawa Majid, is known to authorities, but he has little to fear of being caught since fleeing his home in Sweden and eventually landing in the Iranian capital of Tehran. 

For their part, Iran has rejected allegations that Majid works for them. However, the fact that many of the organization’s targets happen to be Iranian dissidents or other enemies of the regime points to some level of interaction between Foxtrot and the government. And even if Iranian leadership does not have direct control over the group, at least some affiliation is thought to be the price Majid paid for sanctuary.

As a result, the regime has access to a growing network of disposable and willing would-be assassins who do not fit the typical profile of its more ideologically motivated killers. And, closer to home, it appears Iran could be taking a similar low-cost, high-damage approach to key parts of America’s infrastructure. 

Why our infrastructure is so vulnerable

Last Thursday, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned that cyber threats had attacked roughly 36 water systems in Minnesota. On Saturday, nine more in Michigan were hit as well. The FBI has since declared that at least seven states have experienced similar invasions of their infrastructure, though the other five have not been named as of this writing. 

Initial reports indicated that Iranian-affiliated hackers were to blame, though government agencies have yet to identify who was ultimately responsible. Still, the attacks fit the pattern of similar cyber invasions by Iran in the past. 

Earlier this year, hackers affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and their Cyber Electronic Command (CEC) attacked water systems in California, claiming it was a response to US missile strikes that hit water facilities in Iran. And the same report found that they’ve been attempting similar attacks since at least 2023. 

The infiltrations have not been very sophisticated, though, with some vulnerabilities the result of simply not changing the default password from “1111” on the devices used to monitor these municipal systems. But with 148,000 public water systems spread across the country—more than 50,000 of which handle drinking water—finding a handful that are particularly susceptible is more a matter of patience than technological prowess. 

Moreover, the majority of America’s critical infrastructure—as much as 85 percent by some counts—is privately owned, making it difficult for the government to enact sweeping reforms, even if it were inclined to do so. 

Fortunately, the latest attacks—whether carried out by Iran or another malevolent actor—did little real damage, and simply resetting the system or switching from automated to manual controls at the facilities was typically enough to regain control. Still, they do serve as something of a warning shot for what these groups are capable of should they desire to raise the stakes in the future.

And, ultimately, the threat of more to come and the fears it can generate are the real purpose behind both the cyber-attacks and the assassinations.   

The purpose is fear

Iran, and others like it, have proven they are willing to attack the United States in ways that we—at least as far as is publicly acknowledged—are not. But such attacks don’t have to place our lives in imminent danger as long as the threat is enough to make us question our safety.

The idea that any random teenager walking down the street could be a hitman engaged to attack Iran’s enemies and detractors is enough to start chipping away at that sense of security. Likewise, the water coming out of your sink or shower doesn’t have to be hazardous as long as you believe there’s a chance—however remote it might be—that it is. Of the 148,000 public water systems in the United States, how many would Iran, China, or Russia have to hack before you start to wonder if yours is next? 

At the end of the day, the kinds of asymmetrical warfare that we see at work in both of these stories is effective because it preys on our fears in ways that bombs and military campaigns half a world away simply cannot. 

One of the greatest blessings America has enjoyed throughout our history is the fact that most of our wars have not been waged on American soil. And the times where that fighting has hit closer to home, be it through Pearl Harbor, 9/11, or more recent terrorist attacks, it has rarely occurred in any sustained fashion. While the American Revolution and Civil War are notable exceptions, that kind of general immunity from the realities of war for the majority of the populace is simply not the case for most other countries.

The result is that it’s easy for us to take the horrors of combat and its true cost for granted. That doesn’t mean there aren’t situations where war is warranted, but every action our government takes should be weighed against the possibility that it will provoke something more.  

And it’s understandable if the possibility that the “something more” could hit much closer to home leaves you with a sense of fear or trepidation. However, learning what to do with those fears is relevant to far more than the war in Iran or any future conflicts.

Spiritual application: “Do not be anxious”

Christ’s command to “not be anxious” can be among his most difficult to follow (Matthew 6:25). After all, some sense of fear is a natural response when faced with the possibility of unforeseen attacks and dangers we can’t control. And when we read passages like this, it can be easy to walk away, adding anxiety about being anxious to the list of things we have to worry about. 

Fortunately, the emotion of fear or worry is not what Jesus is cautioning us against in this verse. 

The Greek phrase translated here as “do not be anxious” is me merimnate, and it carries the idea of being “divided into parts” or “drawn in opposite directions.” We cannot remain focused on what God is doing in the present if our attention is constantly pulled to the future. As he says in verse 34, “do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” 

And though concerns over what is to come are not the sole source of anxiety in our lives, they are emblematic of the worrying Jesus describes in this passage. 

The idea here is not that we never experience the emotion of fear or anxiety. God never commands us how to feel, just what to do with those feelings when they come. In that respect, fear is no different than anger, joy, sadness, or a host of other emotions. 

Christ is far more concerned with what we do with those emotions and the extent to which we allow them to control our thoughts and actions.

The sin against which we are warned in this passage is feeding our anxiety by dwelling on it, rather than giving it back to God and trusting that he not only knows our needs but also has a plan to meet them.

So, whether it’s the war in Iran, the threat of attacks closer to home, or worries of a more personal (and, often, far more powerful) nature, give those fears to the Lord and pray as often as is necessary for his help in keeping your focus on him. 

Where do you need that help today?   

God is good

European Christian Mission International (ECMI) recently reported that an estimated 160 churches have been planted across Europe by Ukrainians who have been forced to flee their home country. As the report describes, many of those who have been displaced see themselves as “missionaries sent by God into the nations of Europe” rather than as refugees. 

Kingdom impact

Those who have fled Ukraine liken their circumstances to the Christians who dispersed in Acts 8 following the martyrdom of Stephen. They didn’t want to leave their homes, but they’re continuing to serve the Lord and expand his kingdom as they go. 

Prayer point

Will you pray that God will continue to use Ukrainian believers who have been forced to flee? Will you pray that he protects them and the churches they’re planting? And will you pray that their impact is such a clear example of God’s redemption that they can serve as part of an awakening in Europe? 

Christian Today has more on the story