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Iran Escalates Communications Blackout With Military-Grade Jamming of Starlink

Rights groups report hundreds killed, prompting Washington to signal potential measures.

Overview

  • Internet traffic in Iran has fallen to roughly 1% of normal since January 8, with mobile, fixed-line, and parts of the national intranet cut, according to NetBlocks.
  • Security researcher Amir Rashidi, cited by IranWire, reports military-grade jammers that increased Starlink disruptions from about 30% to over 80% within hours.
  • An estimated 40,000–50,000 clandestine Starlink terminals are in use, and despite heavy interference they remain a limited channel for contacting the outside world and sharing protest footage.
  • President Donald Trump said he would speak with Elon Musk about access to Starlink and stated the U.S. military is reviewing “very drastic options.”
  • Iran has warned of retaliatory strikes against the U.S. and Israel if attacked, while human-rights groups report more than 500 people killed during the crackdown.