Israeli diplomats have been targeted in a new security incident, after being added to WhatsApp groups operated from Iran and other hostile countries, according to a report by Ynet.

An internal security notice distributed to Foreign Ministry staff warned: “Recently, there have been reports of [diplomats] being added to WhatsApp groups, not through their contacts. These are groups that are opened and run by our adversaries from phone numbers from Iran, Pakistan, and more.”

The message urged employees to tighten their privacy settings: “Therefore, it is necessary to be vigilant about the groups you join and are added to, and even change the settings so that you can only be added to the groups by contacts who are registered with you.”

Officials say the ministry is investigating whether the incidents were part of a broader cyber-espionage effort targeting Israeli diplomats abroad.