Bennett Says Israel Smuggled Starlink Devices Into Iran to Aid Anti-Government Activists
Jerusalem– Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday that Israel covertly smuggled Starlink satellite internet receivers into Iran during his tenure in office to help anti-government activists maintain communications during internet shutdowns imposed by Iranian authorities.
Speaking at the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem, Bennett said the initiative was launched during his premiership between 2021 and 2022 and involved efforts to acquire and secretly transfer tens of thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran.
Bennett said the objective was to provide protesters with an alternative communications network capable of functioning during government-imposed internet blackouts and to strengthen opposition movements challenging Iran’s ruling establishment.
“I initiated a process of acquiring and smuggling into Iran tens of thousands of Starlink receptors that would allow continuity of the Internet and social networks,” Bennett said.
Starlink, a satellite internet service operated by the U.S. aerospace company SpaceX, provides broadband connectivity through a constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites. The service is not officially licensed in Iran, although SpaceX founder Elon Musk has previously stated that Starlink services are active within the country.
Iranian authorities have repeatedly accused Israel and the United States of facilitating unauthorized satellite internet access to undermine national security and support dissent.
Bennett said the operation was intended to create a communications infrastructure that could be used during periods of civil unrest. He criticized the current Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for failing to continue the initiative after he left office.
“Unfortunately, the current incompetent Israeli government stopped doing that,” Bennett said. “And when the protest happened, that infrastructure was not there.”
Netanyahu’s office did not immediately comment on Bennett’s remarks. SpaceX was not immediately available for comment outside normal U.S. business hours.
Iran has periodically restricted internet access during episodes of political unrest and security crises. Authorities imposed extensive communications restrictions during nationwide protests earlier this year and throughout the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States that began in February.
Satellite-based communication systems have become increasingly important for activists and civilians in regions where governments restrict access to digital networks. Previous reports indicated that some Iranians relied on Starlink connectivity during internet shutdowns.
Bennett, who leads a right-wing political party and is considered a potential challenger to Netanyahu in Israel’s next national election, also outlined a broader strategy for confronting Iran if he returns to office.
He said Israel should continue efforts to weaken the Iranian government through measures including economic pressure, industrial disruption and other forms of non-military action aimed at undermining Tehran’s capabilities and influence.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran following months of military confrontation, diplomatic negotiations and regional security concerns that have reshaped Middle Eastern geopolitics.
