Satellite blackout raises new questions over wartime transparency

A major US satellite imagery provider has effectively gone dark on the Iran war, highlighting how control over information is becoming part of the conflict itself.

Planet Labs said it will indefinitely withhold images of Iran and the wider Middle East conflict zone, following a request from the US government. The decision expands earlier restrictions, which had already delayed imagery by up to two weeks.

According to the company, the move is meant to limit the risk that sensitive visuals could be used by adversaries. The blackout applies retroactively to images dating back to March 9 and is expected to remain in place for the duration of the war, which began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Rather than a full shutdown, Planet Labs is shifting to a controlled release model. Images will now be distributed selectively, only in cases deemed urgent or in the public interest.

“These ⁠are extraordinary circumstances, and we are doing all we can to balance ⁠the needs of all our stakeholders,” the company said.

The decision reflects the dual-use nature of satellite imagery. The same visuals that help journalists, researchers and the public understand events on the ground can also be used for military targeting, surveillance and operational planning.

That overlap is now shaping policy. As the war expands across the region — with strikes affecting not only military targets but also infrastructure — access to independent visual verification is narrowing.

The result is a shift in how the conflict is seen and understood. With fewer publicly available images, governments gain greater control over the narrative, while outside observers face increasing limits in verifying claims in real time.