Israel Smuggled Starlink Systems Into Iran, Former PM Reveals
A former Israeli prime minister disclosed that Israel covertly moved Starlink satellite internet systems into Iran, a rare public admission of a clandestine operation.
A former Israeli prime minister publicly revealed that Israel smuggled Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran, lifting the veil on a secretive operation that underscores the lengths to which Jerusalem has gone to undermine Tehran's grip on information flow inside the country. The admission marks one of the most candid disclosures of an Israeli covert action targeting Iran's communications infrastructure.
Starlink, the low-earth-orbit satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, has emerged as a critical tool for bypassing state-controlled internet blackouts across authoritarian regimes. By smuggling the terminals into Iran, Israel reportedly sought to give ordinary Iranians access to uncensored connectivity — a capability that carries both symbolic and strategic weight, particularly during periods of civil unrest when Tehran routinely throttles or shuts down domestic internet access.
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The disclosure adds a new dimension to the shadow war Israel and Iran have waged across multiple fronts, including cyberattacks, assassinations of scientists, and sabotage operations. Providing Iranians with unfiltered internet access could be viewed as a form of soft-power subversion, aimed at fueling internal dissent and eroding the Iranian government's ability to control its population's access to information and outside communication.
The revelation also raises fresh questions about SpaceX's awareness of or role in the operation, given that Starlink terminals are subject to U.S. export controls and sanctions regimes that restrict their transfer to Iran. It is unclear from the former prime minister's comments whether the smuggling was coordinated with American authorities or conducted unilaterally by Israeli operatives.
Continue reading at Reuters.
