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Iran flips ‘kill switch’ to hide alleged crimes as death toll rises amid protests
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The Iranian regime triggered an internet «kill switch» in an apparent effort to hide alleged abuses by security forces and as protests against it surged nationwide, a cybersecurity expert has claimed.
The blackout slashed internet access to a fraction of normal levels on the 13th day of the protests as rights groups, including Amensty International, accused the regime of using lethal force against protesters.
«This is Iran’s war against its own population using digital means,» NetBlocks CEO Alp Toker told Fox News Digital.
«This was a piecemeal measure that eventually encompassed the entire country, with the government willing to use this kind of measure for an extended period of time,» he said.
«There would be an attempt by the regime to cover up crimes that it may have committed, so this blackout could potentially last for days or weeks,» Toker added.
PROTESTER SCALES IRANIAN EMBASSY IN LONDON, TEARS DOWN REGIME FLAG, HOISTS PRE-REVOLUTION SYMBOL
Protesters gather as vehicles burn, amid evolving anti-government unrest, in Tehran, Iran, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video released on Friday. (Social Media/via Reuters)
At least 65 people have been killed in the protests, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, which said late Friday that the death toll had more than doubled since earlier in the week.
The group also reported that more than 2,300 people have been arrested and that demonstrations have spread to at least 180 cities nationwide. Most of those killed were protesters, the group said.
«People in Iran daring to express their anger at decades of repression and demand fundamental change are once again being met with a deadly pattern of security forces unlawfully firing at, chasing, arresting and beating protesters,» Amnesty International also said in a statement Thursday.
«The single kill switch is the censorship mechanism that is centrally controlled by the regime, so there are no legal procedures or mechanisms for people to push back,» Toker said.
«We know now that they’ve centralized all of this into a one-step operation,» he explained, calling it «very much a top-down mechanism.»
«It’s been in development since the Cold War, and it means they are able to triangulate the ground terminal in satellite transmissions. Some governments implement this kind of kill switch in their cyber operations rooms,» he said.
ARMED IRAN PROTESTERS BATTLE POLICE IN TEHRAN STREETS AS TRUMP WARNS OF FORCEFUL US RESPONSE
«We know that in 2019, for example, it used to be a painstaking measure when the government had to switch off businesses one by one, city by city.»
NetBlocks said the current blackout is among the most severe it has ever recorded in Iran.
«We are tracking near-total disconnection of internet service across Iran right now, and connectivity is below 2% of ordinary levels,» Toker said.
«This is a nationwide disruption that is impacting almost all services, all connectivity and all avenues of life, extending beyond just mobile phones and computers,» he said.
«It’s impacting banks, essential services, and there’s very little communication within the country, so people are unable to reach the outside world and nobody has the ability to communicate.»
EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE URGES TRUMP TO HELP AS PROTESTS AGAINST ISLAMIC REGIME INTENSIFY: ‘MAN OF PEACE’
Despite the sweeping restrictions, some limited communication channels remain available, Toker revealed.
«There are a few gaps, so it’s possible to communicate with those close to the borders through Wi-Fi or mobile service that crosses borders,» he said.
«It’s also occasionally possible to find a part in the service, in a fixed-line service, where they can tunnel through all those, but that is increasingly rare and no longer an option.
«Another mechanism we’ve seen is access via satellite internet, namely the Starlink network, but the equipment is banned by the Iranian regime.»
«The technology that the Iranian regime uses to trace links is essentially anti-espionage technology,» he said.
«These measures are typically imposed by the most authoritarian regimes, the most controlling governments that seek to silence and oppress their own populations,» Toker said.
«NetBlocks tracked very similar multi-week disruption in 2019, during which thousands were killed, and this was also done in 2022 when people were protesting the killing of Mahsa Amini.»
IRANIAN MILITARY LEADER THREATENS PREEMPTIVE ATTACK AFTER TRUMP COMMENTS
Iranian demonstrations have intensified in recent days with the sounds of gunfire in the streets. (National Council of Resistance of Iran)
«In past incidents, we did observe that the government attempted to keep a baseline of service available.
«In this recent case, they pulled the plug, so there’s a far more extreme measure in place here, which suggests that the regime is scared and isn’t taking risks when it comes to the possibility of information reaching the outside world.»
President Donald Trump warned Iran’s leaders Friday against using force on protesters.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, he warned Iran was in «big trouble.»
«I just hope the protesters in Iran are going to be safe, because that’s a very dangerous place right now,» Trump said. «You’d better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting, too.»
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«The U.S. has encouraged democracy in Iran, and that’s a positive thing at this point,» Toker said.
«There’s very little that can be done from the outside, but it’s important to continue to support positive efforts.
«A free and open internet in Iran, and indeed in other countries, can encourage democracy and support basic liberties,» he added.
iran,world protests,donald trump,cybercrime,privacy,persecutions,personal freedoms
INTERNACIONAL
Democrats eye narrow path to capture Senate majority, but one wrong move could sink them
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Senate Democrats are publicly laying out their roadmap to reclaim the chamber in the 2026 midterm elections, arguing that President Donald Trump’s agenda and an expanded battleground map give them multiple paths back to the majority.
Charging that «President Trump is creating a toxic agenda that’s harming people,» Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told Fox News Digital she’s «optimistic that we have a shot to take back the majority.»
Democrats need a net gain of four seats after Senate Republicans flipped four seats in the 2024 cycle to secure a 53-47 majority. But party leaders say recent Democratic overperformances in the 2025 elections, combined with GOP-held seats now in play, have widened the map far beyond initial expectations — even as Republicans insist the political environment still favors them.
REPUBLICAN SENATORS, IN FIRST 2026 ROAD TRIP, TOUT BORDER SECURITY, TAX CUTS
An exterior view of the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol, on Jan. 12, 2026. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
A DSCC memo titled «Senate Democrats Carve Out Path to Senate Majority in 2026,» which was released on Wednesday, highlights that «at the start of 2025, Democrats had two clear offensive targets: Maine and North Carolina. Over the past year, the DSCC expanded the battleground map significantly and created multiple potential paths to the majority.»
Gillibrand charged that Trump «is creating this massive backlash because of his bad and hurtful and harmful agenda,» which she said «adds more to the map.»
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the longtime party leader in the chamber, agreed, telling The Associated Press, «it’s a much wider path than the skeptics think, and a much wider path than it was three months ago and certainly a year ago.»
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, the top Democrat in the chamber, is optimistic about his party’s chances of winning back the majority in the 2026 midterm elections. (Rod Lamkey, Jr./AP Photo)
Gillibrand, in her interview with Fox News Digital, and the DSCC in its memo, touted the party’s top recruits for three GOP-held seats they’re working to flip: former three-term Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, former two-term North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and two-term Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
And Gillibrand highlighted the DSCC’s most recent recruiting success, Monday’s landing of former Rep. Mary Peltola, who was twice elected statewide to Alaska’s at-large House seat, which could potentially put the red-leaning state in play this year.
The DSCC also has its eyes on battleground turned red state Iowa, where there’s an open GOP-held seat, and Texas, where longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn is trying to survive a competitive and combustible primary as he seeks re-election.
But Democrats are also facing crowded Senate primaries.
4 KEY SENATE SEATS REPUBLICANS AIM TO FLIP IN 2026 MIDTERMS TO EXPAND THEIR MAJORITY
Democrat Gov. Janet Mills announced that she will run for Maine’s Senate seat in October 2024. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Mills is facing a formidable rival on the left in Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and military veteran who is backed by progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders.
There are also competitive Democratic Senate primaries in Texas, Iowa and Michigan, where Democrats are playing defense as they aim to hold the seat held by retiring two-term Sen. Gary Peters, Gillibrand’s predecessor at the DSCC. Republicans in the Great Lakes State are mostly rallying behind former Rep. Mike Rogers, who’s making a second straight bid for the Senate.
Asked whether her party’s Senate primaries will impede success in November, a confident Gillibrand said, «I think we will have the best candidates in each one of these states.»
While the party in power — clearly the Republicans right now — traditionally faces political headwinds in the midterm elections, and with Democrats riding a wave of momentum following a slew of ballot box victories in 2025, a current read of the 2026 map indicates the GOP may be able to go on offense in some key states.
Gillibrand’s counterpart, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, told Fox News Digital last month that «54 is clearly within our grasp right now, but with a little bit of luck, 55 is on our side.»
GOP SENATE CAMPAIGN CHIEF AIMS TO EXPAND 2026 MAP IN THIS BLUE-LEANING STATE
Asked about Scott’s aspirations to pick up one or two seats, Gillibrand quickly responded, «No chance.»
«I’m very optimistic that with the quality of candidates that we have, with the recruiting failures and the poor candidates the Republicans have, and this very harmful climate that President Trump is creating, we have all the makings of a blue wave,» Gillibrand emphasized.
NRSC’s communications director, Joanna Rodriguez, argued that the «Democrats’ battleground map is littered with failed career politicians no longer aligned with the values of their states and messy, nasty primaries that will leave Schumer with a majority of candidates that have all pledged to vote him out.»
Democrats are also playing defense in blue-leaning Minnesota, where Sen. Tina Smith is retiring, and the party faces another competitive primary, and in swing state New Hampshire, where former governor and longtime Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is retiring.
And in Georgia, Republicans see first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat up for re-election this cycle. But a nasty three-way GOP Senate primary may hurt the Republicans’ chances of flipping the seat in the crucial southeastern battleground.
AFFORDABILITY BOOSTS DEMOCRATS AT BALLOT BOX IN 2025 AFTER INFLATION HELPED TRUMP AND GOP SOAR IN 2024
Deep concerns over inflation boosted Trump and Republicans to sweeping victories at the ballot box in 2024, as they won back the White House and Senate and kept their House majority.
But Democrats say their decisive victories in November’s elections were fueled by their laser focus on affordability.
Don’t expect any letup in Democrats’ cost-of-living messaging.
President Donald Trump speaks on inflation at Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
«Candidates that connect with their voters, candidates that are listening to the concerns that their constituents have, those are the candidates that win elections, and we saw Democrats do that across the board in 2025,» Gillibrand said. «Candidates that understand what people are going through are the ones that connect with voters, and that’s the kind of candidates we are marshaling in this election, and we are supporting this election.»
But Scott predicts the tide will turn for Republicans on the affordability issue.
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«I’ve said 2026 is a year of affordability, and the great news is President Trump has been producing time and time again,» the NRSC chair touted.
Pointing to the tax cut provisions in the GOP’s sweeping domestic policy measure signed into law this past summer by Trump, Scott said «2026 is shaping up to be the year where Donald Trump’s activities, his actions, the legislation we’ve passed, shows up for the American voter. And consumers all across the country will see a more affordable economy because of President Trump and the Senate majority and the House majority in the hands of the Republican Party.»
elections,democrats elections,midterm elections,senate elections,democratic party,republicans elections,campaigning
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Some U.S. military personnel have been told to leave bases in the Middle East, Fox News has learned.
The order comes amid widespread protests in Iran and threats to intervene from President Donald Trump. Qatar’s government confirmed that some U.S. personnel had departed from the Al Udeid Air Base, America’s largest military base in the Middle East.
Qatar’s International Media Office said the steps were part of broader efforts to safeguard the security of citizens and residents and to protect critical infrastructure and military facilities, adding that any further developments would be announced through official channels.
Trump said on Tuesday that he cut off meetings with the Iranian regime, saying there would be no contact until the government stops killing protesters. He also urged the Iranian people to «take over» the country.
LIZ PEEK: TRUMP IS PUTTING AMERICA FIRST BY BACKING IRAN INTO A CORNER
Some U.S. military personnel have been told to leave military bases in the Middle East. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
«Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!» Trump wrote on Truth Social. «Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price.»
«I have canceled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY,» he added.
Trump has repeatedly suggested that the U.S. may intervene against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime, but he has not offered details of any plans.
NETANYAHU AND RUBIO DISCUSS US MILITARY INTERVENTION IN IRAN AMID ONGOING NATIONWIDE PROTESTS: REPORT
Reports say Iranian authorities have killed more than 2,500 people, though the actual total could be much higher.
People gather during a protest on January 8, 2026, in Tehran, Iran. Demonstrations have been ongoing since December, triggered by soaring inflation and the collapse of the rial, and have expanded into broader demands for political change. (Anonymous/Getty Images)
The White House confirmed on Monday that Trump was weighing whether to bomb Iran in reaction to the crackdown.
IRAN’S ‘DISTINCTIVE’ DRONE DEPLOYMENT SEES DEATH TOLL SOAR AMID VIOLENT PROTESTS
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that diplomacy remains Trump’s first option, but that the president «has shown he’s unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary.»
«He certainly doesn’t want to see people being killed in the streets of Tehran. And unfortunately that’s something we are seeing right now,» she added.
President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene against the Iranian regime. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)
Iranian authorities have used deadly force against anti-regime protesters and have cut off public internet access in an effort to stop images and video from spreading across the globe.
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The protests represent the highest level of unrest Iran has seen since nationwide protests against the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of morality police in 2022.
Reuters contributed to this report.
middle east,iran,world
INTERNACIONAL
Tensión máxima en Medio Oriente: EE.UU. evacúa a militares de su base en Qatar tras amenazas de Irán
Parte del personal en la base aérea de Al Udeid, el principal enclave militar de Estados Unidos en Qatar, recibió órdenes de evacuar antes del miércoles a la noche. Así lo reveló un funcionario norteamericano, que pidió mantener el anonimato por tratarse de un tema sensible.
La medida, según describió la fuente, es “de precaución” y se tomó luego de que un alto funcionario iraní mencionara el ataque con misiles que Irán lanzó contra esa base en junio, en represalia por bombardeos estadounidenses a instalaciones nucleares iraníes.
Leé también Irán: los escenarios que se abren tras las amenazas de Trump y la sangrienta represión de las protestas
El funcionario evitó dar detalles sobre si la evacuación es obligatoria u opcional, cuántas personas están involucradas o si afecta a militares, civiles o ambos. Argumentó que la seguridad operativa es prioritaria y que no se pueden brindar precisiones en este contexto.
Qatar confirmó la evacuación y habló de “tensiones regionales”
El gobierno de Qatar reconoció que la evacuación se lleva adelante “en respuesta a las tensiones regionales actuales”. En un comunicado oficial, la oficina de prensa aseguró que el país “continúa implementando todas las medidas necesarias para salvaguardar la seguridad y protección de sus ciudadanos y residentes como prioridad principal, incluidas acciones relacionadas con la protección de infraestructura crítica e instalaciones militares”.
Leé también Trump apoyó las protestas en Irán y les pidió a los manifestantes que “tomen el control de las instituciones”
Por su parte, el Pentágono y el Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. evitaron hacer comentarios sobre la situación o sobre posibles alertas de seguridad para diplomáticos y civiles estadounidenses en Qatar. En junio, la embajada norteamericana en Doha solo había emitido un aviso de “refugio en el lugar”, pero no llegó a recomendar la evacuación.
Irán redobla la presión y recuerda el ataque a la base
La tensión escaló después de que Ali Shamkhani, asesor del líder supremo iraní, el ayatolá Alí Jamenei, publicara en la red social X: “El presidente de Estados Unidos, que habla repetidamente sobre la agresión inútil contra las instalaciones nucleares de Irán, haría bien en mencionar también la destrucción de la base estadounidense en Al-Udeid por misiles iraníes. Sin duda ayudaría a crear una comprensión real de la voluntad y capacidad de Irán para responder a cualquier agresión”.
El ataque iraní a la base de Al Udeid en junio, que alberga a miles de militares estadounidenses, marcó un punto de inflexión en la región. Según el Comando Central del ejército de EE.UU., ningún personal estadounidense o qatarí resultó herido, aunque un oficial militar qatarí reconoció que uno de los 19 misiles disparados no fue interceptado y golpeó la base. El entonces presidente Donald Trump minimizó el hecho y aseguró que “apenas se causaron daños”.
Leé también Un manifestante irrumpió en la embajada de Irán en Londres y retiró la bandera oficial durante una protesta
La situación se da mientras continúan las protestas antigubernamentales en Irán y Trump advierte que está dispuesto a tomar acciones militares en apoyo a los manifestantes. En este clima, funcionarios iraníes y qataríes mantuvieron contactos en las últimas horas. El secretario del Consejo Supremo de Seguridad Nacional de Irán, Ali Larijani, habló por teléfono con el primer ministro qatarí, jeque Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, quien reafirmó el respaldo de Qatar a “todos los esfuerzos de desescalada y soluciones pacíficas para mejorar la seguridad y estabilidad en la región”.
Qatar también quedó en el centro de otras tensiones regionales, como el ataque israelí en septiembre a la sede del liderazgo político de Hamás en Doha, mientras se discutía una propuesta de alto al fuego para Gaza.
La evacuación en la base de Al Udeid refleja el delicado equilibrio que enfrenta Qatar, atrapado entre las amenazas cruzadas de Irán, Estados Unidos e Israel, y la necesidad de proteger a su población y a las fuerzas extranjeras que operan en su territorio.
Estados Unidos, Irán, Qatar
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