Iran was plunged into a near-total digital blackout on Sunday, with internet traffic reportedly dropping to just 1% of normal levels, after Israeli airstrikes struck regime-linked targets across the country.

As kinetic warfare ravages physical infrastructure, a massive, coordinated “cyber-enabled” offensive has simultaneously paralyzed the nation’s communications, leaving its 90 million citizens isolated and the regime’s propaganda machine in tatters.

According to the internet watchdog NetBlocks, Iran’s national connectivity flatlined “at 1% of ordinary levels” on Sunday.

⚠️ Update: #Iran's internet blackout has now passed the 24-hour mark with national connectivity flatlining at 1% of ordinary levels.

The measure limits civic engagement at a key moment for the country's future after the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei in US and Israeli airstrikes. pic.twitter.com/W4jDgds1Ty

— NetBlocks (@netblocks) March 1, 2026

While the Iranian government has a history of imposing “regime-ordered” internet shutdowns during civil unrest, a tactic human rights groups say has been used to suppress dissent and limit documentation of abuses, analysts caution that the current collapse could reflect a combination of state-mandated censorship and high-level Western electronic warfare.

Doug Madory, a leading internet analyst, noted that the sliver of remaining traffic is likely limited to “whitelisted” networks controlled by government loyalists, CNBC reported.

The digital assault has specifically targeted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and state media. The state-run IRNA news agency was forced offline, while Tasnim, a site closely linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was reportedly hacked to display subversive messages against the late Supreme Leader.

On television, the popular sports channel IRIB TV3 was reportedly intercepted by pro-Western hackers, broadcasting a 36-second clip of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling for the Iranian people to rise against the regime.

Perhaps the most sophisticated breach involved BadeSaba, a popular Islamic prayer and calendar app with more than five million downloads. On February 28, the app sent urgent push notifications urging people to “give up weapons” and join “liberation forces.”

Western intelligence sources say that the cyber offensive was designed to do more than just spread dissent; it aimed to cripple the IRGC’s command-and-control systems, disrupting the coordination of any potential counterattacks. The operation combined Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks with deep intrusions into energy and aviation infrastructure.

As Iran attempts to retaliate with drone and missile strikes against U.S. and allied targets, experts warn that a “cyber-retaliation” is imminent. Adam Meyers of CrowdStrike reported that Iran-aligned threat actors are already conducting reconnaissance for potential strikes on Western critical infrastructure, including finance and healthcare.

For now, however, the Islamic Republic remains largely silent and dark, facing a crisis that is as much digital as it is existential.

The U.S. military confirmed Monday morning that three F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down over Kuwait in what officials described as an “apparent friendly fire incident.” 

U.S. Central Command said that the fighter jets, which were flying support roles, were mistakenly shot down at approximately 11:03 p.m. local time on Sunday. No American service members were killed in the incident. 

“During active combat – that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones — the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,” Central Command said Monday. “All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation.”

Central Command added that the incident is still under investigation and more information would be released. 

The confirmation from the U.S. military came after Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense said that “several” American aircraft had crashed. Search and rescue teams were immediately deployed, evacuating the crews to a hospital for evaluation and medical care. 

Kuwaiti authorities said they coordinated directly with U.S. forces regarding the circumstances of the incident and have launched a joint technical investigation to determine the cause.

Videos circulating on social media appear to show an F-15 pilot being assisted by residents following one of the crashes. 

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran over the weekend, four American service members have been killed in action. Three were killed during an Iranian strike on Kuwait, and the fourth later died from injuries sustained during that same attack. 

Trump said on Sunday that it was “likely” more American troops would be killed in action as the operations against Iran continue. 

“As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives,” Trump said. “We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen. And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is.”