Houthi rebels have ordered residents in areas under their control to immediately surrender any Starlink satellite internet equipment to the nearest telecommunications office.
They said that devices must be handed over to the Public Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) offices they run and warned that failure to comply will prompt a coordinated campaign with security forces to confiscate unauthorized equipment, with penalties imposed on individuals found selling, distributing, or possessing these banned devices.
In September, last year, Yemen became the first Middle Eastern country to launch Starlink services, a development welcomed by many due to the country’s unreliable local networks.
Elon Musk, the owner of the service, confirmed Starlink’s official availability in Yemen. However, the Houthis criticized the service, labeling it a “direct threat to national security” and a violation of Yemen’s sovereignty. They accused the United States of using Starlink as a tool in its “war on Yemen” and cautioned citizens against using it.