‘Israel Secretly Introduced Thousands of Starlink Systems into Iran, Former Prime Minister Claims’

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett revealed at a recent conference in Jerusalem that his government covertly smuggled tens of thousands of Starlink satellite internet receivers into Iran, allegedly to enable anti-regime protesters to coordinate their efforts. The admission was made during Bennett’s address at the JNS International Policy Summit in the Israeli capital.

Bennett served as prime minister from 2021 to 2022 and is now a prominent opposition figure in the run-up to an election due by October. His decision to introduce the Starlink systems into Iran was purportedly designed to disrupt internet access and hinder the government’s capacity to monitor and suppress dissent. The system, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, allows users to access internet services via satellite.

This move, which contradicts Iran’s existing regulatory framework that does not authorize Starlink to operate within the country, would have had a significant impact on the Iranian government’s efforts to curtail widespread protests. Bennett suggested that his administration sought to bolster the protesters’ ability to coordinate their actions and organize anti-government movements.

However, Bennett lamented that Israel’s current leadership abandoned this strategy, leaving the Starlink infrastructure inoperable during a recent wave of protests. It is unclear whether the previous administration’s efforts had any tangible impact on the outcome of the protests.

Bennett has also called for Israel and other Middle Eastern states to unite in a bid to oust Iran’s government. Describing the Iranian regime as “rotten, old, disconnected, incompetent,” Bennett predicted that its eventual collapse would mirror the downfall of the Soviet Union.

Bennett’s claim has reignited longstanding concerns regarding Israeli involvement in the affairs of neighboring countries, where regional tensions remain high and proxy conflicts are ongoing. His comments also highlighted the increasing prominence of Starlink satellite internet systems in global politics and their potential role in facilitating regime change or suppressing dissent.