Handala hacks California water systems after US attacks on Iranian reservoirs

The hacker group known as Handala announced on Thursday that it had breached California's water infrastructure in retaliation for US attacks on two reservoirs in Sirik, a town in Hormozgan province, Iran. The US strikes reportedly cut off drinking water access for over 20,000 residents.

In a statement, Handala said: "Only two days ago, [Trump] destroyed the water sources of the oppressed people of Sirik with multi-million-dollar rockets, inflicting forced thirst and suffering in 50-degree heat. Today, retribution has reached the heart of America."

The group claimed it had the capability to cut off water to American cities but chose not to, citing a different ethical code. "We could have easily cut off the water to American cities just as your foolish president did, but our path and our school are different," it added.

Handala described the breach as a warning to the White House, according to Press TV. "This is not 2010, when you could attack with Stuxnet and suffer no consequences. Today, every assault will be met within hours by a far more devastating blow to your own infrastructure."

The group stated that 5 GB of data from the latest breach is available on its website as proof of the intrusion.

According to Mehr News, the incident highlights escalating cyber retaliation following US military actions in Iran.