When Iran’s Tehran Times posted an AI-manipulated image claiming to show ‘American radar’ destroyed, it wasn’t just a lie—it was a glimpse of the future. Satellite infrastructure, once seen as neutral, is now contested ground, with governments and companies vying for control.

The Middle East satellite communications sector is booming, driven by commercial demand and growing tensions. But as access becomes more valuable, so does manipulation. Journalists like Maryam Ishani Thompson face delays and censorship, making it harder to verify facts and challenge narratives.

Commercial companies operate under the watchful eye of governments, creating a complex legal landscape. As private entities like SpaceX become geopolitical actors, the Outer Space Treaty struggles to keep pace. In this new world, every image is suspect, every signal potentially weaponised.

The consequences are immediate and profound: if we can’t verify what we see from space, we’re left with only one side’s version of events. And in a region where trust is thin on the ground, that’s a dangerous place to be.

So, next time you look up at the night sky, remember—someone might just be looking back down at you.