Israel Independence Day cyberattack takes down major news website

The websites of major Israeli news outlet Maariv, sister publication of The Jerusalem Post, was taken offline on Wednesday, Israeli Independence Day, in a DDoS cyberattack.

Credit for the cyberattack was claimed by the group Anonymous Sudan. The group said the attack was meant to coincide with Independence Day.

"Today, we will focus entirely on Israel because of their celebration of the occupation of Palestine," Anonymous Sudan wrote on Telegram.

The group also managed to take down the website of the Israel Ports Authority and the Meretz political party.

The group also claimed to have hit the websites of the Health Ministry, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), Israel Securities Authority, the Haifa Port and Walla, though these sites are still functional at the time of writing.

Anonymous Sudan launches cyberattacks against Israel

This isn't the first time Anonymous Sudan has launched cyberattacks against Israeli websites.

On April 14, the group claimed responsibility for a cyberattack that struck the Israel Post as well as Bank Leumi, Discount Bank, Mizrahi-Tefahot, Bank Mercantile, Bank Benleumi (First International Bank of Israel) and its subsidiaries Bank Otzar Ha-hayal and Bank Massad.

The group has also launched cyberattacks taking down other Israeli news sites n the past, such as The Jerusalem Post, KAN and i24.

At the start of April, they also managed to hit the website of cybersecurity firm Check Point as well as that of United Hatzalah.

This is a developing story.