New York Times: Intelligence agencies believe Iran carried out the hacking of water systems in Minnesota

A spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy told the Associated Press on Saturday, “We have received a few reports from areas in Michigan showing similar activity to the description provided by federal authorities.”

He emphasized that all systems were still operating safely and that local operators had resolved “the issues.” He added, “There are no known impacts that would pose a risk to public health.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) earlier stated that several U.S. states had contacted the bureau.

In a statement, the agency said, “Since July 27, 2026, water and wastewater utility companies in at least seven states have reported incidents to the FBI, and some of these activities have disrupted water utility operations.”

The FBI added, “After gaining remote access to internet-connected devices, the actors changed internet protocol (IP) addresses and passwords, resulting in the loss of monitoring and control functions.” The bureau did not specify whether Iran was behind the attacks.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned of cyberattacks carried out by individuals linked to Iran. These attacks target government services and facilities, water and wastewater systems, and the energy sector.

According to media reports, there were also attacks this week in Minnesota against dozens of water supply systems. As a result, at least one system was temporarily shut down. Experts suspect Iranian hackers were behind the incidents. The Washington Post cited intelligence agencies, while The New York Times quoted investigators.

Both newspapers relied on U.S. officials and noted that the findings were not yet final. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump hinted that Iran was not responsible, blaming what he called the incompetence of Minnesota’s Democratic governor, Tim Walz.

Senior Democratic politicians in the state told U.S. media that Trump’s allegations were baseless.