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US, Israeli strikes cripple Iran's rocket and satellite programs, pushing Tehran toward China and Russia

US and Israeli airstrikes have inflicted extensive damage on Iran's rocket and satellite programs — among the most advanced in the Middle East — degrading Tehran's indigenous launch and satellite capabilities. The strikes could drive deeper Iranian cooperation with China and Russia on space and missile systems.

Discovered 2026-03-20T13:10:16.958433-07:00 | 2026-03-20T13:10:16.958433-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

The strikes directly degrade Iran’s indigenous launch and satellite capabilities, increasing the chance Tehran will seek external support — see Russia-assisted Iranian launches (source:5abd62e4-f6ba-4114-b52c-1e82c6a219e8) and reported China-Iran arms links (source:80b92bc9-7e58-475f-9be5-264ce7ff4414).
This action is part of a wider U.S.-led air campaign that has struck hundreds of Iranian targets and disrupted regional airspace and operations (see broader Operation Epic Fury reporting and Gulf airspace closures) (source:1bc6121f-461f-4029-a056-de9248ae6e0d) (source:a4b94e8d-b9c0-48e3-bf9a-dbc739532c7a).
Damage to Iran’s space infrastructure elevates risks to orbit and resilience debates already highlighted by recent assessments and on-orbit threats (source:4370989c-2104-4a90-b1a0-0d5197f181ab) (source:4ef45fc2-9c4f-4868-8bb6-1c100868b455).

Reported By

tass.com Economic Times ANI News Agency SpaceWatch Africa Jerusalem Post The Aviationist