Starlink in Yemen: a Trojan horse for espionage?

The unusual announcement that Starlink will offer its first West Asian satellite connectivity services in Yemen, of all places, has sparked a furor in Sanaa, with concerns that the project aims to infiltrate Yemen’s national security apparatus to reverse US–Israeli losses in the region’s waterways.

Mawadda Iskandar

The Cradle 

There is much concern that Elon Musk’s Starlink intends to provide satellite internet coverage to the United States following the failure of its Red Sea “Operation Prosperity Guardian” alliance to curb Yemen’s pro-Palestinian front.

This conversation has gained traction since the company’s announcement on 18 September that it would launch services in Yemen after months of informal contracts with the Saudi-backed government in Aden. The timing of this announcement raised eyebrows, especially as it coincided with Israel’s terrorist attacks in Lebanon involving exploding pagers and walkie-talkies.

A US-backed initiative

Starlink is a satellite-based infrastructure developed by SpaceX, the subsidiary of billionaire Elon Musk – who is also a close friend of former US president Donald Trump. It is designed to provide high-speed internet access, particularly in remote areas like conflict zones, by deploying a network of thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit.

The announcement that Yemen would be the first country in West Asia to have full access to its services surprised many – particularly because the US embassy in Yemen was quick to praise the move as an “achievement” that could unlock new opportunities.

The Ministry of Communications in the Aden government said that “the launch of the Starlink service came within the framework of efforts to face the challenges resulting from the conflict,” while Abdul Rahman al-Mahrami, the pro-UAE vice president of the Presidential Leadership Council, emphasized that Starlink would offer secure connections in the face of the ongoing conflict.

It is worth noting that the UAE had already provided Starlink services to its field hospitals in Gaza, even though Elon Musk had previously refused to offer them to the besieged enclave carpet-bombed by Israel for the past year.

Sanaa’s skepticism

The rival Sanaa government, under which most of Yemen’s population lives, was quick to warn that the Starlink project may pose a threat to Yemen and its national security. Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of Ansarallah’s political bureau, criticized the US embassy’s stance, which he says:

Confirms the relationship between the launch of Starlink and the war launched by America on Yemen, which threatens to expand the conflict to the orbits of outer space for the first time in history.

An official in Sanaa’s Ministry of Communications also stated:

This behavior clearly confirms the disdain of the mercenaries for the sovereignty and independence of Yemen and their willingness to harm the security and stability of the country in favor of foreign powers, so it was not surprising that the decision was welcomed by the Americans.

In March, the Financial Times reported that the US and UK faced intelligence shortfalls in their Red Sea campaign, particularly regarding the capabilities of the Ansarallah-aligned forces’ arsenal. This intelligence gap underlined the west’s need for a reliable spy network, and Starlink’s role in this context raises serious questions.

A Reuters report revealed that SpaceX had signed secret contracts with the US Department of Defense to develop a spy satellite system capable of detecting global threats in real time.

Major General Khaled Ghorab, a Yemeni expert in military affairs, tells The Cradle that the timing of this move is linked to US losses resulting from Yemen’s naval operations in the Red Sea. He believes the deployment of satellite communications is part of a broader strategy for a new kind of warfare that blends on-the-ground actions with satellite-based intelligence.

Against the backdrop of the recent pager explosions in Lebanon, Ghorab highlights the security risks inherent in this project, including the violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and the potential for Starlink’s use in supporting US and coalition military operations.

Israeli involvement

Another concerning aspect is the involvement of Israel. Israel’s spy satellites, OFEK-13 and OFEK-14, are reportedly linked to Starlink’s satellite network. SpaceX, as a third party, may provide critical guidance and intelligence to these satellites, further enhancing Tel Aviv’s surveillance capabilities in the region. This connection between Starlink and Israeli intelligence efforts has heightened fears in Yemen that the satellite network will be used to undermine the country’s security and sovereignty.

Currently, Starlink services are available primarily in Yemeni areas controlled by the Saudi and UAE-led coalition, although roaming packages allow temporary access in other regions. This has prompted concerns about data security, privacy, and the spread of misinformation, as unrestricted satellite internet bypasses local government control.

One of the most pressing issues is the potential for the leakage of sensitive security information to foreign intelligence agencies, which could compromise Yemen’s national defense and security efforts. Additionally, there is a looming threat to individual privacy, as the network might be used to eavesdrop on personal communications without any form of local oversight. This could lead to breaches of private data on a large scale.

Moreover, cybersecurity risks are particularly troubling, as the network might be exploited for dangerous purposes, including facilitating terrorist activities like bombings. The presence of a global satellite internet service that bypasses local regulations raises concerns about its potential to disrupt local internet infrastructure.

A technological leap or a Trojan horse?

Starlink could also introduce unfair competition to local provider Yemen Net, further marginalizing the national telecom provider and hindering local development efforts.

At a societal level, unrestricted internet access carries the risk of exposing users to inappropriate content, spreading misinformation, and circumventing government censorship mechanisms. This poses a threat to social security, as it could facilitate the dissemination of harmful or destabilizing information.

So the risks of Starlink’s entry into Yemen are far-reaching, impacting not only security but also in also broader social, political, and economic dynamics.

Dr Youssef al-Hadri, a right-wing political affairs researcher, shared his views with The Cradle on the recent events in Lebanon and the ongoing electronic warfare involving the US and its allies. According to Hadri, intelligence agencies operating in areas under the control of the Sanaa government face challenges in detecting the locations of missiles, drones, and military manufacturing sites.

This shortfall became even more apparent after a major intelligence operation exposed a long-running spy cell in Yemen, with activities spanning across multiple sectors.

From the risk of espionage to the undermining of local telecom providers, the implications of Starlink’s operations extend far beyond providing internet access – they could become a vehicle for foreign influence and control.

The first step in confronting and countering this conspiracy is to initiate a comprehensive media and government campaign aimed at raising awareness about the dangers posed by Starlink. Then call for the criminalization of any collaboration with the company, equating it to acts of espionage.

In tandem, local telecom provider Yemen Net should prioritize improving service quality and reducing prices, thereby offering citizens a viable alternative and diminishing the appeal of foreign providers like Starlink.

Iran has firmly stood by Palestinian, Lebanese nations: MPs

TEHRAN, (MNA) – Croticizing international community's silence in the face of blatant crimes of Zionist regime, lawmakers at Iranian Parliament emphasized that Islamic Republic has firmly stood by the Palestinian and Lebanese nations.

In an open session of the Parliament, members of the Iranian Parliament in a statement reaffirmed their support from the Resistance movement in Palestine and Lebanon.

In a situation that the criminal Israeli regime, with the support of the US and UK, and in silence of international communities, including the United Nations and UN Security Council (UNSC), has intensified its brutal attacks against civilians in Gaza Strip in the occupied Palestine and Lebanon and has committed crimes against humanity, the lawmakers at the Iranian Parliament said that the Islamic Republic and the Axis of Resistance have firmly stood by the Palestinian and Lebanese people and at this critical and decisive condition, the Islamic Republic, relying upon the assistance of the Almighty God, will thwart the malicious conspiracies of the US and criminal Zionist regime with its vigilance, wisdom, courage and strength.

In the Friday prayers, led by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, lawmakers at the Iranian Parliament hailed the authoritative and courageous moves taken by the valiant Armed Forces of the country in attacking Zionist regime’s positions in an operation dubbed “Operation True Promise-2”.

Members of the Parliament also hailed the visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Beirut and Damascus at this critical condition of the region.

Deterrence comes from power, not smile

TEHRAN, (MNA) – Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, says that deterrence would be obtained by power not smile.

Referring to recent tensions in the West Asia region and the rhetorics of the Israeli regime, he said, "War is a very bad thing, it should be avoided under all circumstances, but the fear of war is even worse." 

He pointed to the brutality and criminal essence of the Israeli regime in a televised interview on Saturday night. He said, "Those who seek to make peace with Israel will achieve nothing."

Power generates deterrence, not smile, he added.

Referring to the assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah by the Israeli regime, Khomeini said that martyr Nasrallah deserved to be granted martyrdom after his great efforts in combating the criminal Zionists.

Netanyahu declares 'obligation to respond to Iran' as army readies 'significant' attack

As Tel Aviv rushes toward its latest escalation in the regional war, Washington has called on its allies to avoid striking Iranian oilfields  

News Desk - The Cradle

ccc
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a recorded message on 5 October in which he pledged to strike back against Iran for its massive retaliatory attack that pummeled several Israeli military bases earlier this week.

"Twice already, Iran has fired, and we have intercepted hundreds of missiles from the largest ballistic missile attack in history. No country in the world would have accepted such an attack, and neither will Israel, and we will respond to these attacks," the premier said as Israeli warplanes continued to rain down fire on civilian infrastructure across neighboring Lebanon.

Netanyahu claimed that over recent weeks the army “began to fulfill the promise I gave to the residents of the north. We eliminated [Hezbollah chief Hassan] Nasrallah and the top echelon of Hezbollah … Although we have not yet completed the removal of the threat, we have clearly changed the course of the war and the balance of the war – until our arms are still outstretched.”

The Israeli premier, who faces war crimes and genocide charges from the International Criminal Court (ICC), stressed that his nation is "determined to defend itself against any threat. That includes the threat from Iran, which is behind all the attacks on us — from Gaza, from Lebanon, from Yemen, from Iraq and Syria — and of course, from Iran itself."

Earlier in the day, military authorities in Tel Aviv announced that the response to Iran's retaliation for Israel's bombing of the presidential guesthouse in Tehran in July would be “serious and significant,” and that it was devoting much of its time to planning it.

Elsewhere in his speech, Netanyahu took aim at French President Emmanuel Macron, who said on Saturday, “I think that today, the priority is that we return to a political solution, that we stop delivering weapons to fight in Gaza,” adding that France was not sending any arms to Israel.

"As Israel fights the forces of barbarism led by Iran, all civilized countries should be standing firmly by Israel's side. Yet, President Macron and other western leaders are now calling for arms embargoes against Israel. Shame on them," Netanyahu said in response.

US President Joe Biden on Friday cautioned Israel against striking Iranian oil facilities, a day after he said Washington was “discussing” such action.

“If I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oilfields,” Biden said. The White House previously said it does not support an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear program.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Friday declared that the Islamic Republic's “strategic patience is over, urging all Muslim nations to "tighten the defense belt from Afghanistan to Yemen, from Iran to Gaza and Lebanon.” 

“Every country has the right to defend itself,” he stressed, adding that “Israel’s actions have intensified the anger of the Axis of Resistance and have reinforced its resolve.”

Obstacle to the occupation: The West Bank frontline

As Israel's struggle to maintain control over the West Bank intensifies, a rising, unified resistance force poses its greatest ‘internal’ challenge yet, threatening to unravel the occupation's long-term strategic vision

Aymun Moosavi

The Cradle 

After twelve months of failed deterrence, Israel’s image has been battered and bruised. Desperate to project strength, the occupation state has resorted to various aggressive measures, including threats of a ground invasion into Lebanon and the assassination of Hezbollah’s Secretary General, Hassan Nasrallah.

To the same end, aggression against the Palestinian resistance in Gaza has continued in parallel; While the occupation officially marked the end of the largest military incursion on the occupied enclave since the Second Intifada in early September, Israeli attention remains fixed on the West Bank, with renewed strikes on Tulkarem. 

Last night, an Israeli airstrike on a popular café in Tulkarem refugee camp caused the deaths of dozens of civilians, including women and children, and a few resistance fighters and commanders – among them, Quds Brigades' Tulkarem commander Ghaith Radwan. The attack marks the largest single-strike massacre in the occupied West Bank since 2002. Although Israeli officials claimed that the operation was intended to assassinate high-ranking Qassam Brigades leader Zahi al-Aoufi, the high civilian toll casts doubt on this justification. 

In response, the Palestinian resistance has called for mass mobilization across the West Bank, and Tulkarem’s fighters have vowed retaliation, signaling that Israel’s 10-day assault in August did little to weaken the resistance. The occupation’s ongoing military failures indicate a deeper issue: Israel's inability to fully suppress the resistance in the West Bank, despite its attempts to do so.

Intensifying the occupation of the West Bank 

However, the occupation entity did not turn its attention to the West Bank in these renewed strikes – it has always been there. For months, it has incrementally intensified its covert operations in the territory, using the war on Gaza as a cover to do so. 

Extremist finance minister Bezalel Smotrich called to increase the creation of new settlements in the West Bank to “thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state,” just weeks after the ICJ ruled that settlement expansion in the territory was illegal under international law. This took place alongside a variety of intimidation tactics, including an increase in arbitrary arrests with the support of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and raids of Al Aqsa Mosque. 

Yet, this intensity is being met with unprecedented force by the hands of the West Bank resistance, whose strength has risen to new heights. A new generation of fighters has been at the heart of this development. 

The movement formed to counter the most recent military incursion into the West Bank, dubbed ‘Horror of the Camps,’ has demonstrated both the new and advanced abilities of the resistance and the occupation’s inability to achieve its strategic goals in the territory.

Gaza vs the West Bank: Different tactics, different threats

The Israeli occupation’s focus on the West Bank has never been about military dominance alone – it is about control over a territory crucial to Israel’s state-building vision. The West Bank, annexed by Israel after the 1967 war, holds immense strategic importance due to its size, resources, and religious significance. 

In contrast to Gaza’s densely populated and confined geography, the West Bank’s vast landmass and proximity to Israeli settlements make it both a more complex and more critical front for Israel. This has led to a different kind of occupation strategy in the West Bank when compared to Gaza.

Gaza and the West Bank present Israel with two distinct sets of challenges, and this has shaped the nature of its occupation in each region. Gaza, a small and densely populated area, has been subjected to repeated aerial bombardments, blockades, and other aggressive military tactics since Israel’s withdrawal in 2005. 

The focus in Gaza has been to impose widespread devastation with minimal risk to Israeli settlers, who are absent from the territory. Israel’s tactics there include heavy bombardment and population shifts within Gaza to further tighten control. 

The West Bank, on the other hand, is far more geographically and strategically integrated into Israel’s broader plans. Palestinian villages and illegal Israeli settlements exist side by side, creating a complex patchwork of communities and increasing the risks associated with any aggressive military action. 

As a result, the occupation state has opted for more covert forms of occupation in the West Bank. These include constructing settlements that fragment Palestinian communities, maintaining surveillance through checkpoints, enforcing movement restrictions via the permit system, and using the PA to suppress resistance movements. Israeli settler violence has also been tacitly allowed to continue and escalate, terrorizing Palestinian communities without fear of reprisal. 

Despite the covert nature of the occupation, the West Bank resistance has continued to evolve. Unlike Gaza, where resistance groups have had more freedom to organize and launch coordinated operations, the West Bank’s resistance movements have traditionally relied on smaller, localized actions like point-blank shootings, stabbings, and explosive attacks. 

The ongoing Israeli presence in the region prevents large-scale operations, but the resistance has adapted to this reality by forming nimble, decentralized groups capable of carrying out quick, targeted strikes.

The rise of a new resistance generation

The recent evolution of the resistance in the West Bank has been driven by a new generation of fighters, many of whom came of age in the shadow of Israel’s ongoing occupation. These fighters have brought a fresh approach to the resistance, focusing on unifying previously fragmented factions under a common goal: armed resistance for liberation. 

During the 2021 ‘Sayf al-Quds’ battle, youth-led groups like the Lions’ Den and the Jenin Brigades emerged as the face of this new movement. Although many of their members have ties to traditional political parties like Hamas, Fatah, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), they have chosen to set aside ideological differences to fight under a collective banner.

This new approach has been evident in recent operations, such as the Jordan Valley shooting in response to the Fajr Massacre in Gaza. As the late resistance leader and Tulkarem Brigade commander Abu Shujaa remarked before his assassination:

My message to the people of Gaza is to keep going, we are by your side, and we see you as mentors and we ask God to reward you. You are a people of patience, of persistence. This had long been known about the people of Gaza but the battle of al-Aqsa Flood proved to the entire world that the people of Gaza are capable of ending ‘Israel.’

The strategic importance of the West Bank

Israel’s anxiety over the West Bank’s growing resistance is also linked to its proximity to Jordan, “one of the most important Arab fronts,” according to Palestinian resistance leaders. 

Jordan, which shares a long border with the West Bank, is home to the largest population of Palestinian refugees and has become a critical site for Palestinian solidarity protests. This was demonstrated most clearly during the Allenby Bridge Crossing operation, carried out by Jordanian driver and retired soldier Maher al-Jazi. 

The operation, which took place near the West Bank-Jordan border, heightened Tel Aviv’s fears that Jordanian popular support for the Palestinian resistance could pose a significant threat to its control over the West Bank.

Israel’s continued focus on the West Bank during its war on Gaza reflects the high stakes involved. More raids and military operations in the West Bank are likely to follow, as Israel knows that losing control of the territory would represent a significant blow to its long-standing strategic goals.

The struggle to break or bolster the resistance

To understand Israel’s greatest vulnerability, one need only look to where it exerts the most force—the West Bank. Alongside Gaza and Lebanon, the intensifying crackdown in the West Bank reveals one of Israel’s deepest fears: losing control of this strategically vital territory. 

For the occupation state, the battle in the West Bank is not just another front in the conflict with Hamas—it’s a fight for survival. If Israel loses its grip on the West Bank, it risks unraveling its broader state-building project, as well as exposing its settlements and borders to new threats.

 Despite its best efforts, Israel has been unable to suppress the growing strength of the West Bank resistance, which has evolved into a formidable and unified force. 

This resistance is both a critical obstacle to Israel’s long-standing mission to fully integrate the West Bank into its territory and a long-term ambition for West Asia’s Axis of Resistance to bolster the local factions with arms and supplies. 

The occupied West Bank’s continued rise, against all odds, only deepens Israel’s existential anxieties.

After Iran’s missile salvo, will Israhell bite or fold?

Iran’s massive ballistic missile strikes in retaliation for Tel Aviv’s rampage of Axis assassinations raise the temperature on regional war – how and if Tel Aviv responds will be pivotal.

Ali Rizk

The Cradle 

Iran’s unleashing of a heavy barrage of missiles on Israel is a potential game-changer that comes as a stark warning that West Asia’s Axis of Resistance is ready for escalation.

Iranian media outlets stated that over 400 missiles were launched on the night of 1 October, while other estimates put the number at just below 200. According to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), 90 percent of the projectiles successfully hit their targets in the offensive dubbed “Operation True Promise 2,” a follow-up to April’s retaliatory strikes against Israel.

Avenging assassinations

The IRGC released a statement saying the operation was in retaliation for Israel’s assassinations of senior leaders in the Resistance Axis, including Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh on 31 July in Tehran, Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforushan, who were killed in the same bombing strike last Friday in a Beirut suburb.

“We have targeted the heart of the occupied territories in response to the assassination of martyrs Haniyeh, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and Nilforushan,” read the IRGC statement, which further revealed that the Israeli targets included three military bases: Nevatim, Netzarim, and Tel Nof. The first two house the F-35 and F-15 fighter jets – it was F-15s that were used to assassinate Nasrallah.

The offensive was much larger in scope compared to Operation True Promise 1 on 13–14 April, in which Iran retaliated to an Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus, marking Tehran’s first direct military action against Israel.

US Pentagon Spokesman Pat Ryder acknowledged that last night’s Iranian military operation was much larger than the April one in terms of the amount of firepower involved, calling the attack “about twice as large in terms of the number of ballistic missiles that they launched.”

The IRGC also disclosed their use of more advanced weaponry this time – ‘Fattah’ hypersonic missiles capable of penetrating Israeli radars – in order to deny Tel Aviv sufficient advance notice of the incoming offensive.

Conflicting responses from Israel and the US

Statements made by various Tel Aviv and Washington officials regarding the attack appeared contradictory. While vowing to take action against Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the attack as a failure, claiming that most of the incoming projectiles had been intercepted. Israeli Military Spokesman Daniel Hagari struck a somewhat different tone, however, saying the offensive marked “a severe and dangerous escalation.”

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden appeared to play down the operation, stating that it had been successfully thwarted:

Based on what we know now, the attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective, and this is testament to Israeli military capability and the US military.

On the other side of the analysis spectrum, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan characterized the attack as a “significant escalation and significant event.”

Washington’s warnings go unheeded

Importantly, Iran’s offensive marked a clear act of defiance against the US and its repeated demands that Iran and other members of its regional axis refrain from responding to Israeli aggressions. Only hours before the attack, a senior US official warned that Iran was planning an “imminent” offensive against Israel and threatened “severe consequences” should Tehran proceed with the operation.

Tehran’s defiance of Washington is all the more notable given the earlier US announcement of the deployment of thousands of additional troops to West Asia, in part, according to the Pentagon, to protect Israel.

That Iran chose to launch its most potent salvo of advanced missiles in its history – and defy US warnings – should, however, come as no surprise at this time. Israel has recently scored a string of major tactical successes against Hezbollah – Tehran’s closest ally in the Axis of Resistance – despite the Axis’ 11-month efforts to contain the threat of a regional conflagration.

These successes culminated with the assassination of Nasrallah, under whose leadership Hezbollah was able to deal military defeats to Israel that many Arab states and conventional armies failed to achieve: end an Israeli occupation by force in 2000 and inflict a political defeat in 2006 after 33 days of war.

Iran’s missile offensive will have the impact of stemming the momentum Israel gained in the previous two weeks as it prepared for a ground incursion into Lebanon and will provide an important morale boost for Hezbollah fighters and Lebanese civilians alike.

True Promise 2 also follows a veiled threat by Netanyahu against Iran, posted in a video message on X and addressed to the Iranian people, in which the Israeli prime minister boasted that Israel was capable of reaching all corners of West Asia and hinted at potential regime-change plans for Iran:

When Iran is finally free, and that moment will come a lot sooner than people think, everything will be different.

Israel’s move… or not?

While the ball now is in Israel’s court, Tel Aviv may ultimately be forced to set aside plans for any real direct escalation against Iran – as in April, when the Israelis only managed to respond with three small drones over Isfahan, all promptly shot down by the Iranians.

While ostensibly Tel Aviv’s response to Iran’s first-ever strikes against Israel, the Isfahan incident fell far short of expectations, with senior Iranian officials denying that any damage was caused and Iranian media outlets claiming the attack was conducted from within Iran’s borders.

Israel’s reluctance to escalate against Iran at the time owed at least in part to the Biden administration’s reluctance to become embroiled in a wider war with Iran and its Axis allies. The White House reportedly conveyed a message to Israel saying it would have no part in any offensive military action against Iran, with Biden urging Netanyahu to “take the win.”

The US president’s reference to a “win” was in the context of Israel’s claims that most Iranian missiles and drones in the first True Promise had been intercepted, and the attack had hence failed.

Diplomatic restraint or military escalation?

Given that Biden has issued similar statements in reaction to Iran’s latest military operation, a repetition of this scenario cannot be ruled out. It is also the case, however, that senior White House officials have threatened to hold Iran to account in the aftermath of last night’s retaliatory strikes on Israel – one that the US would coordinate with Israel, according to Jake Sullivan.

Whether or not this means the US is this time ready to join Israel in a broader war against Iran remains to be seen. The US presidential election is a month away, and Biden is the lame-duck president who has appeared increasingly weak and on the back foot in his dealings with Netanyahu. Should the US choose a confrontational path and proactively seek a military fight with the Iranians, however, the repercussions would be potentially catastrophic.

Speaking to The Cradle, University of Tehran Professor Mohammad Marandi warns:

If the Americans choose to get involved, then that would mean Iran would have to destroy all their bases in the Persian Gulf region. Those regimes in the Persian Gulf that host US troops or assets will not survive this.

Marandi adds that this “would mean a global economic meltdown like we’ve never seen.”