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Bounty Website Targeting Israeli Academics Prompts Security Probe After Brief Takedown

Investigators are examining possible Iranian ties following posts offering six-figure rewards for killings.

Overview

  • Israel’s Mossad and Shin Bet have opened an investigation, with unnamed officials reported to suspect Iranian involvement.
  • The site listed tiered rewards including $50,000 for killings, $100,000 for designated “special targets,” $20,000 for arson, $5,000 for intelligence, and smaller payments for harassment.
  • The pages published names and personal details of dozens of academics, with targets spanning institutions such as Harvard, Oxford, Israeli universities, and CERN.
  • The domain was created in August and appears linked to Drenthe, Netherlands, and the site briefly went offline after media exposure before resurfacing.
  • Israel’s Committee of Research Universities condemned the threats as a dangerous escalation, while some listed researchers denied military links and at least one dismissed the site as the work of “nutcases.”