Israeli army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot said on Monday that the Israeli army has decided to establish a special unit to combat online piracy following a significant increase over the past few years.

Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said the decision "came after the formation of a team, headed by Herzl Ha-Levi, Chief of Military Intelligence (AMAN), to review online piracy attacks against Israeli targets."

Israeli sources said the unit will be formed within the next two years.

Israel's Public Radio said Sunday that "Israeli computer experts discovered Iranian electronic attacks against hundreds of targets in Israel and other countries in the Middle East which began in July last year."

According to the radio, the targets included senior officers in reserve service, security companies' employees, researchers and academics, as well as the computers of a finance minister in a neighbouring country.

It also said that several officials in Saudi Arabia were targeted.