Iran imposes worst internet blackout since 2019 amid tensions

The United States will never see the Islamic Republic surrender, Iran’s Guardian Council said Thursday in a statement amid rising military tensions.

“America will take the regret of waiting for the Islamic Republic’s surrender to the grave,” the top decision-making body said in the statement.

An Iranian expatriate told Iran International on Thursday that there had been a communications blackout with Iran.

“There’s no way to reach anyone. They’ve taken the people hostage,” the citizen abroad said, expressing fear over the inability to contact family members inside the country.

The disruption comes amid escalating conflict and a wave of arrests tied to online expression.

Authorities in Iran arrested eight people in Yazd province for allegedly supporting Israel, the provincial police chief said Thursday, marking the latest in a wave of detentions tied to online activity.

Earlier the same day, Kerman’s police commander announced the arrest of four more citizens—one woman and three men—on similar charges.

At least 160 Iranians have been detained over the past six days for social media posts related to Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic, according to the human rights group HRANA.

Iran reserves the right to close the Strait of Hormuz if the United States joins Israel in military action against the Islamic Republic, Tehran MP Ali Yazdikhah said Thursday.

“If America enters the war, closing the Strait of Hormuz is our legitimate right,” Yazdikhah said, referencing the narrow waterway critical to global oil shipments.

A wave of airstrikes were launched on western Iran, targeting ballistic missile infrastructure and Iranian soldiers, Israel’s military said Thursday.

The Israeli Air Force deployed around 20 fighter jets for the operation, the army said. Separately, an Israeli drone struck trucks carrying ballistic missiles as they arrived at a launch site.