The phone was not in lockdown mode as it would have prevented the attack.

https://citizenlab.ca/2023/09/blastpass-nso-group-iphone-zer...

> We believe, and Apple’s Security Engineering and Architecture team has confirmed to us, that Lockdown Mode blocks this particular attack.

https://citizenlab.ca/2023/04/nso-groups-pegasus-spyware-ret...

> For a brief period, targets that had enabled iOS 16’s Lockdown Mode feature received real-time warnings when PWNYOURHOME exploitation was attempted against their devices. Although NSO Group may have later devised a workaround for this real-time warning, we have not seen PWNYOURHOME successfully used against any devices on which Lockdown Mode is enabled.

These are about different incidents though, right? Is there some other confirmation lockdown mode would have been effective in this case as well?

It's the same vulnerability as in the article, PWNYOURHOME would have been avoided with lockdown mode.

> Researchers believe Timchenko’s hackers used the so-called “PWNYOURHOME” vulnerability

Ah I see, thanks! Managed to miss it while ⌘-F'ing through the article for 'Citizen Lab'.