US and Israel Launch Operation Epic Fury Against Iran

The United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury, a joint military campaign against Iran that integrated kinetic strikes with non-kinetic space and cyber operations. The United States Space Command and United States Army Cyber Command executed missions to hack, jam, and disrupt Iranian software systems, while targeted strikes specifically hit Iranian satellite coordination infrastructure.

Iran responded by using GPS spoofing to mislead receivers and jamming Starlink terminals to hinder civilian communication and military coordination. Following retaliatory Iranian strikes against U.S.-linked sites in the Persian Gulf, commercial satellite imagery from Planet Labs and Vantor provided visual confirmation of smoke plumes in Tehran and burning ships in Konarak.

To hinder Iranian real-time damage assessments, Planet Labs implemented a two-week delay on imagery for non-government users while ensuring the U.S. military maintained immediate access. The engagement has highlighted a significant gap between the rapid development of dual-use commercial space technology and current international legal frameworks.