Satellite imaging firm Planet Labs said on Saturday it will indefinitely withhold visuals of Iran and the region of conflict in the Middle East to comply with a request from the US government. California-based Planet Labs announced the decision in an email to customers and said the US government had asked all satellite imagery providers to indefinitely withhold images of the conflict region. Satellite images also help journalists and academicians studying hard-to-reach places. Planet Labs said in its email to customers that it would switch to a "managed distribution of images" deemed not to pose a risk to safety. Under a new system, Planet Labs will release imagery on a case-by-case basis for urgent, mission-critical requirements or in the public interest.

Source: The Telegraph April 05, 2026 05:01 UTC