Lead

Recent US-Israeli military operations against Iran have underscored a fundamental shift in modern warfare: conflict is no longer confined to physical battlefields but has extended to data centres, software engineers, and civilian technologies, according to multiple reports. As the line between military and civilian infrastructure blurs, artificial intelligence has emerged as both an enabler of military power and a vulnerable target itself.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting on this development has come from outlets with differing perspectives. Dawn, a Pakistani English-language daily with a center-left stance, has framed the use of AI in the conflict with alarm, describing it as a "loose cannon" that threatens to consume its own ecosystem. The publication emphasized the dangers of automated warfare, citing specific episodes such as the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) strikes on data centres in the UAE and Bahrain, as well as the Pentagon's demand that Anthropic lift restrictions on its Claude AI model.

Meanwhile, TASS, the Russian state news agency, has offered a more neutral tone, focusing on comments by Russian lawmaker Alexey Pushkov, chairman of the Information Policy Committee of the Federation Council. Pushkov asserted that AI technologies have become the "main player" in the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, a characterization not echoed in other reports.

Key Claims

Multiple sources, including Dawn, have reported that AI systems can rapidly analyse vast quantities of diverse data, enabling unprecedented speed in military operations. The same reports detail that the US Central Command conducted an initial wave of 900 strikes within a 12-hour window in February 2026, a feat attributed to the integration of commercial AI systems like Anthropic's Claude into military intelligence platforms. These systems sift through satellite imagery, drone feeds, intercepted communications, and social media, turning raw data into recommended targets within minutes.

Regarding Israeli forces, reports indicate that the IDF's elite Unit 8200 has operationalised two primary AI decision support systems: 'The Gospel' (Habsora) and 'Lavender'. The Gospel automatically identifies structural targets, such as buildings and infrastructure, at speeds far exceeding traditional human-led processes—where a team of human intelligence officers might generate 50 targets in a year, AI can produce many more in a fraction of the time.

Perspectives

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly struck premier data centres in the UAE and Bahrain, a claim carried by Dawn and not yet independently verified by other outlets. This action illustrates the vulnerability of civilian infrastructure in the digital age, though the full scope and impact have not been detailed.

Another claim, attributed solely to Russian lawmaker Pushkov via TASS, suggests that "the first thousand targets hit in Iran were designated by artificial intelligence." This assertion, while significant, has not been corroborated by other sources in the provided material, and its accuracy remains a matter of single-source reporting.

The Pentagon's demand that Anthropic lift restrictions on Claude AI to allow for 'any lawful use' and unrestricted access, as reported by Dawn, signals the growing appetite of military establishments for commercial AI capabilities, raising ethical and legal questions about the deployment of such technologies in conflict zones.

Conclusion

As the US-Israel-Iran conflict continues, the role of AI in warfare is likely to draw increased scrutiny. Lawmakers like Pushkov have suggested this may be the first major war where AI and autonomous systems were not merely auxiliary tools but main actors. While the full implications remain to be seen, the reports collectively point to a new era in which cyber and AI capabilities are central to both offensive and defensive strategies, challenging existing norms of international law and ethics.