GEOINT in the Iran War: Targeting, Intelligence, and the Battle for Information Access

This brief analyzes how GEOINT (satellite imagery, mapping, SAR, and open-source data) has been operationalized in the Iran War to enable precise targeting, rapid battle-damage assessment, and kinetic strikes on critical infrastructure — including data centers, oil facilities, and military sites. It documents Iranian use of open-source mapping, commercial and SAR imagery, HUMINT and dark-web acquisition of geolocation data, the role of underground brokers and infostealer-derived telemetry, and how commercial imagery restrictions have driven adversaries to alternative data sources and clandestine markets.