Full Breakdown
Israel’s Secret Starlink Operation for Iranian Protesters Revealed by Former Prime Minister
6/23/2026, 11:31:22 PM
Starlink Smuggling Revealed
On June 23, 2026, former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett said Israel arranged the acquisition and transport of tens of thousands of Starlink satellite-internet receivers into Iran. The devices were intended to give Iranians uninterrupted internet and social-media access during state-imposed blackouts.
Iran’s Internet Blackouts
Iran has repeatedly shut down public internet during unrest, including nationwide protests in January 2026 and the broader United States-Israel conflict that intensified in February 2026. Iranian authorities have accused Israel and the United States of using foreign communications equipment to destabilize the regime.
Main Actors
The plan was disclosed by Naftali Bennett, Israel’s former prime minister (2021-2022) and leader of a right-wing opposition party. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declined comment. Starlink, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is not licensed in Iran and did not respond during U.S. business hours. Iranian officials have alleged that Israel and the United States smuggle such devices to undermine Iran’s security.
Scale of Operation
Bennett said the operation involved obtaining and covertly transporting many Starlink receivers into Iran. The devices connect users to SpaceX’s satellite network, delivering broadband without ground infrastructure. Because Starlink is not licensed in Iran, the equipment would operate without official approval.
Official Responses
Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond. SpaceX also declined comment outside U.S. business hours. Iranian authorities have accused Israel and the United States of smuggling communications equipment to undermine Iran’s security, but have not confirmed the specific Starlink operation Bennett described.
Bennett’s Critique
Bennett labeled the current Israeli administration “incompetent” for halting the receiver distribution, noting the infrastructure was missing when protests erupted. He described Iran’s regime as “rotten, old, disconnected” and predicted its collapse like the Soviet Union, proposing economic and industrial sabotage as a non-military approach to weaken Iran.
Reporting Gaps
No independent verification of the smuggling claim exists, and Israeli officials have not confirmed Bennett’s account. SpaceX’s silence leaves the receivers’ operational status unclear, while Iranian authorities have not addressed the allegation of tens of thousands of hidden Starlink devices.
Verbatim Quotes
- “process of acquiring and smuggling into Iran tens of thousands of Starlink receptors that would allow continuity of the internet and social networks” — Naftali Bennett, Former Prime Minister of Israel
- “Unfortunately, the current incompetent Israeli government stopped doing that,” — Naftali Bennett, Former Prime Minister of Israel
- “And when the protest happened, that infrastructure was not there.” — Naftali Bennett, Former Prime Minister of Israel
- “It's a rotten, old, disconnected, incompetent regime, and it will fall like the Soviet Union fell,” — Naftali Bennett, Former Prime Minister of Israel
- “join forces to repel and ultimately topple” — Naftali Bennett, Former Prime Minister of Israel
