Widespread internet outages reported in Iran amid Israeli strikes

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – Widespread internet disruptions were reported across Iran on Tuesday amid Israeli airstrikes on the country, local media said.

The outage, however, has not been officially confirmed by the Iranian authorities.

According to the Fars News Agency, Iran’s Cybersecurity Command announced new restrictions on the use of internet-connected devices.

It prohibited all officials and their protective teams from using any equipment linked to public communication networks, including mobile phones, smartwatches, and laptops.

The authority also urged the public to minimize their use of internet-connected smart devices and to exercise increased caution in their digital activities.

Regional tensions have escalated since Friday, when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.

Israeli authorities said that at least 24 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Iranian missile attacks since Friday.

Iran, for its part, said that at least 224 people have been killed and over 1,000 others wounded in the Israeli assault.