Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett revealed Tuesday that Israel secretly smuggled Starlink satellite internet systems into Iran in an effort to help anti-regime protesters communicate and organize during periods of government-imposed internet blackouts.
Speaking at the JNS conference in Jerusalem, Bennett said the operation began while he was serving as prime minister in 2022. According to Bennett, Israel initiated a process of obtaining and smuggling Starlink receivers into Iran, allowing continued access to the internet and social media networks despite efforts by the regime to cut off communications.
Bennett claimed the devices were intended to help protesters coordinate demonstrations and ultimately challenge the Iranian government. He sharply criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government, alleging the effort was later halted and that the infrastructure was not available when a major wave of protests erupted.
Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, provides satellite internet connectivity. Iran has long accused Israel and the United States of smuggling Starlink equipment into the country to bypass government restrictions on internet access.
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