Pro-Iranian groups on social media are spreading satellite images of key infrastructure in the Middle East, thwarting Washington’s attempts to limit access to information about its infrastructure. The images are believed to originate from Chinese companies.
Despite Washington’s attempts to suppress the dissemination of images of its Middle Eastern infrastructure, Chinese satellite images continue to circulate through pro-Iranian Telegram groups, raising fears that such images could be used for further attacks, including by terrorist groups.
Many of these images, depicting US and Israeli military installations, are being disseminated by the M(*)e E(*)t S(*)r (MES) (asterisks ours, ed.), a media outlet that presents itself as an independent source but is suspected of having ties to the Iranian government.
Since the start of Operation Epic Fury in late February, the channel has frequently published images of US installations in the region, attacks on Israeli equipment, and downed US aircraft. Italian drones.
An Israeli open-source intelligence (OSINT) specialist reported that many images released by MES originate from Chinese satellite imagery companies, despite Washington’s efforts to counter them.
Earlier this month, the United States imposed sanctions on three Chinese satellite imagery companies: MizarVision (also known as Meentropy Technology), Chang Guang Satellite Technology, and The Earth Eye, for providing imagery that allowed Iran to target US forces in the Middle East.
The online dissemination of such images poses a significant threat to US interests in the region, as the likelihood of new US and Israeli attacks against Iran remains high. In addition to attacks on military installations, US diplomatic missions have been targeted by drone strikes and hostile protesters since the beginning of the war.
Chang Guang was also involved in Chinese efforts to provide Pakistani forces with images of strategic camps and sites in Afghanistan.
The MES channel gained notoriety within the intelligence community after the publication of classified US documents in October 2024. The documents detailed secret plans for an Israeli attack on Iran and mentioned Israel’s nuclear capabilities. They also contained a US assessment of those plans.
A month later, in November 2024, the United States indicted former CIA officer Asif Rahman after his arrest in Cambodia. In June 2025, he was sentenced to three years in prison for leaking the information.
Meanwhile, CNN reported: “Iran is rapidly recovering its massive missile arsenal from underground.” The claim comes through the use of satellite imagery showing Iran reactivating large quantities of missiles stored in its underground facilities, calling into question Trump’s claims of the destruction of the Iranian arsenal.
During the war, joint Israeli and American strikes neutralized many of these underground complexes by blocking access to them, thus trapping many of Iran’s launchers and limiting their ability to launch missiles. Now, however, Iran, using only bulldozers and trucks, is neutralizing a strategy that consumed enormous quantities of Israeli and American munitions.
In total, “Satellite imagery shows Iran has reopened at least 50 access points to 18 underground missile sites that had previously been damaged or blocked.”
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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