At the Cybertech Global conference in Tel Aviv this week, Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Karadi, head of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, issued a stark warning to industry leaders and policymakers: A full-scale cyber conflict propelled by artificial intelligence agents is imminent, capable of paralyzing nations without firing a shot. “Just around the corner, the world will see a full-fledged cyber war led by artificial intelligence offensive and defensive agents,” Karadi declared, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.

Karadi, appointed in March 2025 after serving as the IDF’s Chief Signals Officer overseeing the C4I Corps from 2021 to 2024, oversees cyber defenses for Israel’s civilian sector, including critical infrastructure. His remarks underscore Israel’s frontline experience in digital combat, intensified since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. The directorate managed over 26,000 serious cyberattacks in 2025—a 55% surge from 2024—with financial institutions, government bodies, and digital service providers as prime targets, according to The Times of Israel.

Microsoft data ranks Israel third globally for cyber targeting, absorbing 3.5% of worldwide attacks despite its size, Karadi noted at CyberWeek 2025. Most incidents were thwarted, but the volume signals cyber as the dominant battlefield. “Cyber is no longer supporting the battlefield, cyber is the battlefield,” he stated.

Escalation Since October 7

Iran-linked operations dominate, comprising 95% of threats, per Check Point’s Sergey Shykevich. During the 12-day June 2025 war with Iran—codenamed Operation Am Kalavi—hackers targeted camera vulnerabilities with a 1,500% spike to verify rocket strikes, as detailed in Ynet News. Iranian actors hacked street cameras to track Israeli VIPs and launched 1,200 influence campaigns exposing millions to disinformation, blending cyber with psychological warfare.

Hybrid tactics shone in the Weizmann Institute strike: Hackers seized security cameras for real-time impact footage while bombarding staff with intimidating emails containing leaked data. “Iran tried to reach every citizen in Israel – and not just once,” Karadi said at CyberWeek, highlighting unprecedented scale compared to U.S. or French operations, via Iran International.

Past incidents include Iran’s 2020 bid to poison water supplies by altering chlorine levels, ransomware hits on hospitals like Hillel Yaffe and Shamir Medical Center using Qilin as cover, and repeated power grid probes—evolving from espionage like Stuxnet to civilian disruption akin to Russia’s Ukraine blackouts.

AI’s Double-Edged Transformation

Karadi envisions AI agents igniting wars via service blackouts, not sirens: “The first cyber war driven by AI agents won’t begin with a siren; it will begin with the disruption of services, of decision-making, and of daily life.” Events will outpace human oversight, he cautioned at Cybertech, echoing JNS.org coverage of his CyberWeek address on ‘no-bullet wars.’

Shykevich warned AI deepfakes blur reality, enabling data grabs from healthcare and enterprises, with 2026 assaults eyeing AI systems themselves. Google’s forecasts align, predicting AI-automated hacks scaling to operational threats by 2026, targeting Israel’s high exposure as noted in X posts from @MOSSADil.

Israel counters with a multi-year defense blueprint emphasizing cloud security, cyber AI for detection, and quantum preparedness. “Quantum will reshape the entire cyber domain, opening a new attack surface we do not yet fully understand,” Karadi said, per The Times of Israel. National labs for AI and deepfakes are in development.

Industry and Global Alliances

Public-private synergy is pivotal. “The government sets strategy… but it is Israel’s cyber industry… that enables Israel to be prepared,” Karadi emphasized. Israeli firms raised a record $8.27 billion in 2025, with exits totaling $72.6 billion, fueling Cybertech 2026 hype as reported by Ynet News.

A proposed Cyber Security Law, now in consultation, mandates standards for vital entities, enforcement for incidents, and elevates cyber to national priority—aligning with global norms. Recent pacts include Germany’s strategic accord and a Maritime Cybersecurity Center with Greece and Cyprus.

U.S. CISA’s Nick Andersen echoed threats at CyberWeek, naming China paramount but Iran persistent in reconnaissance and disruption. Israel’s Unit 8200 alumni drive global leadership, with Prime Minister Netanyahu touting per-capita investment supremacy.

Doomsday Blueprints and Readiness

Karadi’s “doomsday scenario” paints energy, transport, and telecom grids halted, endangering lives via remote hacks—a “digital siege” from one click, as in Forbes. Iran’s shift to destructive ops on military, government, and academics for intimidation underscores urgency.

Speed trumps all: “Speed and agility are critical to develop defensive solutions before our adversaries develop attack vectors.” With AI exploding across domains, total digital reliance offers foes boundless arenas. Israel’s real-time battles position it to pioneer defenses, but lags risk defeat in the ‘cat-and-mouse’ race.

As Cybertech unfolds with speakers like Netanyahu and Herzog, Karadi’s call resonates: Prepare now for AI-orchestrated battles where tanks stay parked and jets grounded, yet nations fall.