Hybrid warfare: Hoax bomb alerts sent to schools in Italy, UK in latest disruption

more on those hacks. I'm joined by Jamie Smith-Mayo from our international affairs desk. Jamie, let's talk about Italy first of all, because the number of these bomb threats and the number of schools that had to be closed is quite extraordinary, really, isn't it? Yeah, absolutely. Well, the words of the week, they're hoaxes and hacks. Indeed, that's what we're talking about with this question of vulnerability all around. Well, yesterday, in fact, Italy, there were some 6,300 Bomb threats received, one singular email that was sent out, which led to massive evacuations in schools right across the country, then later led to that being clear that it were hoaxes. The education minister said it was a cyber attack. There was no genuine risk. The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, saying no evidence of concrete danger, but did warn whoever is sending them wants fear, lost days, suspicion and chaos. Yesterday as well, also... hoaxes, similar sort of threats received in schools in Scotland, in Northern Ireland. So it seems to be part of a trend at the moment in time. As far as we know, as Italy is concerned, there are questions around speculation. Is this Russia as part of hybrid warfare? Is this Iran as part of hybrid warfare or another actor? At the moment in time, there's no clear path leading as to who that is. It's not just schools, is it? There have been all sorts of other threats, notably finger pointing here in France, at least for one of them to Iran. Indeed, and this is where the picture becomes slightly clearer. And if we look at Iran in particular, where there is this question of vulnerability and volatility in Europe at the moment in time. And two things this week we need to focus on. First of all, a clear message from Iran to Europe saying that there is a threat against U.S. assets in Europe, notably U.S. military bases, which could be a target if they are to be used by the U.S. For conducting strikes on Iran, that was from Mohsen Rezaei yesterday, the Iranian secretary for the Supreme National Security Council, stating that if Americans make a mistake and attack us, we will not limit ourselves to nearby bases. So a clear message there in the with the backdrop as well of of Trump wavering on questions of strikes, saying that. At the moment in time, they're unlikely. And then also a message to the BBC yesterday saying that the US was locked and loaded. So a mixed message there on that. And obviously here, a clear message from Iran on Europe. Also, winding back slightly this week to the question of supermarket fridges and a clear message as well from the French foreign minister, who also announced that the fridge attacks on supermarkets back in the month of October, some 700 supermarkets hit in a cyber attack. This was to be blamed on Iran, and the French foreign minister said the attacks were unprecedented in scale and aggression, pointing the finger of blame at Iran, noting as well that intelligence and authorities in France had found that this was sourced back to Iran through the Farsi language being at the source of the attack, and also IP addresses, so Iran clearly being pointed here in those attacks. They have said this is a baseless and hostile claim. How legitimate are these concerns and why is Europe particularly being seen as a target? Well, as far as the cyber attacks are concerned, we've clearly seen that there are a legitimate threat and there are concerns now with Internet connected attacks widening elsewhere in Europe. So it is part of this question around asymmetric or hybrid warfare. There's probably three things as well to highlight in terms of analysis on why Europe is at the center of this and three D's really, which are deterrence, division, The first is potentially Iran is signaling, first of all, this question around military bases in Europe as a deterrence to, say, potentially back off in the sense of possible involvement in the war of strikes upcoming or not on the part of the U.S. Saying as well that Europe has not been perhaps directly involved, but in offering its support to U.S. positions on the sideline, it is being interpreted as being involved, offering logistical support, refueling support, intelligence and the like. So perhaps a sort of signaling of warning. The second one here I mentioned is division, sowing potential transatlantic division between Europe and the US And this comes at a time of increased vulnerability, notably for Donald Trump with the midterm elections. We also know that two thirds of Americans are keen to see the end of the war in Iran. So potentially here as well as Europe still dependent on the U.S. military, rendering essentially coordination much more difficult. And the third one is damage or disruption. And what we've seen here from these recent cyber attacks is Iran showing that ultimately with these fridge hacks, which were. Deemed to be quite unsophisticated, ultimately, this is another means to show that they have some form of power across Europe with cyber attacks, hybrid attacks, and at the same time Iran under the continued pressure of sanctions. So yes, there is a legitimate threat. As far as military bases are concerned, it is unclear at the moment in time how high the threat level is. According to according to authorities and all to follow and all to follow up that summit as well. Jamie. Thanks very much. Jamie Smith Meyer there. And in fact.