There has been significant decline in internet traffic within Iran as a result of temporary restrictions issued by the country’s Ministry of Information and Communications following Israeli strikes, according to NetBlocks, which tracks cyber security and digital governance around the world.
It is not yet clear how severe the restrictions will be and what impact they will have.
"We inform the honourable people of Iran that, in view of the country's special conditions and with the measures of the competent authorities, temporary restrictions have been imposed on the country's internet," a message from the ministry read.
On Thursday evening, the ministry indicated that the limits would be lifted once the situation returns to normal.
Since the announcement of the restrictions, data from NetBlocks showed internet traffic in Iran dropping by almost 50 per cent.
Virtual internet service providers within the country, which rely on ISPs outside Iran, have also been affected.
Internet disruptions imposed by the government in Iran are not unusual.
It’s not clear if low-earth-orbit satellite based internet services like Starlink, which have been blocked by Iran in past, are widely usable.
Elon Musk, who owns Starlink, indicated on X that he has turned on the service for those in Iran with devices that can access it.
"The beams are on," he wrote in response to someone on X who inquired about the availability of Starlink internet within the country.
Mr Musk previously activated Starlink over Iran during the 2022 nationwide protests, amid the Iranian government's severe internet restrictions.
Starlink's current service map shows Iran as being blacked out, meaning that the service is not officially available, though Mr Musk's comments and other workarounds make it possible to be used in various circumstances.
