On Thursday evening, Tehran experienced a series of heavy attacks, with residents reporting low-flying fighter jets and loud explosions. Early Friday, the Israeli military said it had carried out large-scale strikes on the “heart of Tehran,” aiming at what it described as infrastructure linked to the Iranian regime.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump again delayed threats to hit Iran’s energy facilities if Tehran did not lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The United States has sent thousands of troops to the region, and officials have not ruled out a possible ground invasion of Iran.
Iran, for its part, said it launched missile and drone strikes on targets in Israel and on US bases in several Gulf states. State television claimed the country was close to defeating its enemies and ending the conflict. But trust in state media has eroded: “We don’t watch state television anymore,” a Tehran resident wrote in a group chat, and another added, “They only broadcast for themselves and their supporters.”
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) has lost much of its influence. A Tehran survey by the Iranian Students Polling Agency found that, even before the Twelve-Day War with Israel in June 2025, only 12.5% of respondents relied on IRIB for news — down from 51% in 2017. A roughly 50% boost to IRIB’s budget in March 2025 has not restored public confidence.
Many Iranians now turn to Persian-language outlets abroad, international broadcasters such as DW, or social media—especially Instagram, which has about 24 million users inside Iran. Although these platforms are officially banned, large numbers reach them using virtual private networks (VPNs). VPNs create an encrypted tunnel from a user’s device to a remote server, allowing access to the wider internet.
Since the US-Israel war with Iran began on February 28, Iranian authorities have again restricted internet access. VPNs that rely on satellite internet services like Starlink have been especially imperiled: Starlink is banned in Iran and, where available, is often far more expensive—sometimes up to ten times the usual cost. The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence says hundreds of Starlink systems have been detected and seized.
Internet expert Keyvan Samadi told DW that Starlink terminals emit signals to connect with satellites, which can be picked up by specialized equipment. Radio direction-finding techniques can then help locate these devices. Media reports say hundreds of people have been arrested since the war began.
It remains unclear how many banned satellite systems are still in use. Sources in Iran told DW that some VPN services remain available but are costly. Despite rising expenses, closed businesses and broader wartime economic strain, many Iranians said they were willing to pay more to maintain access to outside information.
Beyond the immediate physical danger from missile and drone strikes, the repeated internet shutdowns are taking a psychological toll. People lose contact with family and friends and are left with acute uncertainty about events unfolding around them.
This article was translated from German; Danyal Babayani contributed reporting.