Iran Forced to Shut Down Internet Amid Alleged Israeli Cyberattack – Digital Blackout Sparks Chaos

Iran''s internet infrastructure collapses as authorities blame Israel for a crippling cyberattack. The digital blackout leaves millions offline—just as Bitcoin miners were starting to turn a profit again.

Cyber Warfare Escalates

Tehran pulls the plug on nationwide connectivity after detecting what it claims are ''hostile network intrusions.'' No group has claimed responsibility, but Iranian officials point fingers squarely at Israel—raising tensions in an already volatile region.

Economic Fallout

The shutdown paralyzes businesses, banks, and—ironically—the government''s own surveillance apparatus. Meanwhile, crypto traders shrug and keep stacking sats, because unlike fiat systems, Bitcoin doesn’t need a centralized ISP to settle transactions.

Who’s Really Winning?

While politicians trade accusations, ordinary Iranians bear the brunt. And let’s be honest—the only entities profiting here are VPN providers and opportunistic OTC crypto dealers charging 20% premiums for USDT trades.

Major western apps blocked inside Iran

Amir Rashidi, director of digital rights and security at the Miaan Group, told NBC News that certain Western apps stopped working. He said WhatsApp, Instagram, the Apple App Store and Google Play Store were among those blocked inside Iran.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said its parent, Meta, has been locked in a “cat-and-mouse game” with Iran as officials target the company’s internet links.

Meanwhile, Iran’s own National Information Network, a closed loop of government-approved sites, stayed online for most users.

Data from Cloudflare, an internet services firm, showed on Tuesday that two of the country’s leading mobile carriers were effectively cut off from global networks, further isolating users who rely on phones for calls and data.

Some people online urged Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service to step in. Musk wrote on X last Friday, “The beams are on,” hinting that Starlink could help Iranians bypass the blackout.

Iran’s authorities have banned Starlink terminals, and the state-run Saed News Agency warned that using them might guide Israeli strikes.

Holistic Resilience, a nonprofit that supports internet access in closed societies, estimates that 30,000 to 40,000 Starlink dishes are already in Iran, based on network scans and conversations with local distributors.

Iran alleges broad Israeli cyber offensive

On Tuesday, Iran’s National Cybersecurity Command accused Israel of a wide cyberwarfare campaign to disrupt public services, but it did not say which systems were hit. Shargh Daily reported that the cyber police agency, known as FATA, said the government had imposed disruptions after the attacks and WOULD restore normal service soon.

A hacker group calling itself Predatory Sparrow claimed on X and Telegram to have launched a destructive cyberattack on Bank Sepah, a national bank under U.S. sanctions for ties to Iran’s military.

As a result, some ATMs failed on Tuesday, a local source said. The group’s membership and any links to official agencies remain unknown.

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