Planet Labs has announced that it will indefinitely withhold satellite imagery of Iran and conflict zones in the Middle East, following a request from the U.S. government. This decision builds upon a previous 14-day delay on releasing such images aimed at preventing adversaries from using the information for attacks. The restriction will apply to images dating back to March 9 and is expected to remain until the conflict concludes, which intensified following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.
The company plans to implement “controlled distribution” for images that are considered safe to release, with some available on a case-by-case basis for urgent needs or public interest. Other commercial satellite providers like Vantor are also enforcing enhanced access controls in the region. The Pentagon has not commented on the matter.
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