A satellite image of the US Navy Naval Support Facility in Bahrain, captured by Planet Labs.. Photo: Planet Labs PBC via AP.
The US government has ordered satellite imaging firm Planet Labs to indefinitely halt the release of imagery from the war in West Asia, the company confirmed on 6 April, warning they could expose “vulnerable military positions,” yet reports suggest the move aims to conceal the extent of Iranian damage to US assets.
Planet Labs said it would enforce an “indefinite withhold of imagery,” applied retroactively to images captured from 9 March, and expected to remain in place until the war ends.
Satellite imaging company Planet Labs says it will indefinitely withhold Iran war imagery after a request from the Trump administration https://t.co/NvttJacbF3 pic.twitter.com/5orYVRIuA5
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) April 5, 2026
The company notified its customers via email, adding that US authorities had asked all providers to block visuals of the war zone.
The restriction expands earlier measures introduced in March, when Planet Labs delayed releases by 96 hours, later extending that delay to 14 days.
The firm said the new policy would limit access to high-resolution images of Iran, US-linked bases, and surrounding regions, with only select visuals released on a case-by-case basis if deemed in the public interest.
US officials justified the move by warning that publicly available satellite images could expose “vulnerable military positions,” particularly after Iran demonstrated its ability to strike US bases, aircraft, and radar systems across the region.
The imagery had been widely used by journalists and open-source analysts to independently verify damage claims on both sides of the war.
Sites captured in the imagery included US-linked facilities such as Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia and infrastructure in Tehran, including Mehrabad International Airport.
Iran has struck four THAAD radar systems located at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, two sites in the UAE near Abu Dhabi and Al Ruwais, and Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan during recent attacks on regional air defense infrastructure.
(Source: Airbus, Planet Labs) pic.twitter.com/XusswDyWAc
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) March 7, 2026
The blackout now restricts public monitoring of military losses and limits independent verification of developments on the ground.
Planet Labs satellite imagery corroborates reports that Iran has targeted US assets across multiple countries, causing damage to advanced systems and aircraft, with Tehran also releasing its own visuals of the strikes.
The move reflects what analysts describe as a broader shift to control the war narrative by keeping key battlefield developments out of public view.
Satellite images show activity at Iranian nuclear sites hit by US & Israel
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Satellite imagery provided by Planet Labs PBC show that new roof structures have been installed over two damaged buildings at the Isfahan and Natanz sites in Iran. This marks the first significant… pic.twitter.com/0tTaFCsXX2— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) January 31, 2026
It remains unclear whether other companies, including Vantor and BlackSky, will adopt similar measures.
Planet Labs’ new policy underscores the growing role of commercial satellite imagery in modern warfare, where near-real-time data can reveal strikes, infrastructure damage, and troop movements.
Once controlled by governments, Earth observation has become a multi-billion-dollar industry supplying intelligence to militaries, media, and markets, raising new concerns over information control during active wars.
