Israel Wants To Use Elon Musk's Starlink In The Event Of A War With Hezbollah

UNSPLASH/Forest Katsch/Starlink 3 ILLUSTRATION across the sky

JAKARTA - Israel reportedly used Elon Musk's Starlink to maintain Internet connectivity in the event of an all-out war with Lebanese Hezbollah that could cause power outages in Israel.

Calcalist's financial daily report, finance and communications ministries seek to utilize Starlink's 5,000 low-orbit satellites to ensure steady data and information flows for state authorities during an emergency.

The two ministries have yet to comment on Reuters. Earlier, in February, Communication Minister Shlomo Karhi gave permission to Starlink, SpaceX's satellite unit, to operate in Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Tensions on the northern border escalated after Iran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel shortly after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which sparked a war in Gaza. Both sides retaliated attacks.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited Washington to discuss the next phase of the Gaza war and the increasing hostilities on the border with Lebanon, where a shootout with Hezbollah sparked fears of a wider conflict.

Wars in the northern region could lead to missile attacks on Israeli power grids and other infrastructure.