From Civil Defense to Hybrid Threats: Revitalizing Emergency Management for a New Geopolitical Era

Supplemental Update—June 22, 2025
Note: The original piece on the Israel-Iran conflict and its implications for emergency management was written before the U.S. airstrikes on Iran.

This supplemental update provides critical context and situational awareness in light of last night’s U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The conflict has entered a new phase, with Iran vowing reprisal and the U.S. bracing for potential cyberattacks and proxy retaliation. Emergency management professionals should take this escalation seriously, as it heightens the risk of asymmetric threats on U.S. soil, including infrastructure-targeting cyber operations and disinformation campaigns. This development underscores the urgency for preparedness, cross-sector coordination, and proactive threat monitoring.

Today, it is crucial for emergency managers nationwide to review their preparedness plans, assess vulnerabilities, and maintain active communication with their elected officials and key stakeholders. While there is currently no specific intelligence indicating an imminent physical attack within the United States, the risk of cyber intrusions and disruptions to the electrical grid has significantly increased following the U.S. strikes on Iran. Cyberattacks offer Iran and its proxies a low-risk, high-impact means of retaliation, and critical infrastructure—particularly energy and communications systems—remains a prime target.

Such an event is a pivotal moment for emergency management professionals to lean forward. Ensuring continuity of operations, validating cybersecurity protocols, reviewing public communication strategies, and coordinating with local utilities and fusion centers should be top priorities. Early action and coordination can make the difference between disruption and resilience in an increasingly interconnected threat environment.

Historical Foundations of Civil Defense in the United States

The roots of modern emergency management can be traced back to the civil defense programs of the Cold War era. In the 1950s and 60s, the United States government promoted mass preparedness initiatives to shield the civilian population from nuclear attack, first under the Federal Civil Defense Administration and later under the Office of Civil Defense. These efforts included the construction of fallout shelters, the dissemination of public education materials such as Survival Under Atomic Attack, and the implementation of warning systems like CONELRAD (Control of Electromagnetic Radiation). Cities across the country conducted evacuation drills, air raid simulations, and public campaigns promoting self-reliance. Although many of these initiatives lost momentum after the Cold War, they established foundational concepts of public preparedness, continuity of government (COG), and coordination between federal, state, and local entities.

As Cold War tensions thawed and the Soviet threat receded, attention turned toward natural disasters, terrorism, and public health crises. The creation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 1979 institutionalized the all-hazards approach that dominates today’s emergency management framework. However, the shift to natural disaster response deprioritized preparations for deliberate, strategic attacks on U.S. soil, despite evidence that adversaries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran have invested heavily in hybrid and asymmetric warfare capabilities.

Contemporary Threats: Geopolitical Tensions and Homeland Vulnerability

The open war between Israel and Iran in June 2025 sharply highlighted the risk of global conflict. Media outlets such as The Guardian and the Financial Times have reported on Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites and subsequent Iranian retaliatory attacks, prompting increased U.S. military deployments to the region and raising fears of broader escalation. Iran has demonstrated the capability and intent to target U.S. interests through its regional proxies and cyber operations. The Department of Homeland Security has already elevated threat levels for Jewish institutions and critical infrastructure across the United States.