# Anthropic Says Iran Used Its American AI Model to Target U.S. Navy Warships

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-09-11 15:07 UTC · Category: World

## Executive Summary
Anthropic reports that Iran-linked operators utilized its AI model, Claude, to create targeting files on U.S. Navy warships and plan high-level events.

## Intelligence Brief
Anthropic has revealed that operators linked to Iran utilized the American company's artificial intelligence model to facilitate military and political activities. According to reports from the Wall Street Journal and qz.com, these operators used the AI to build specific targeting files focused on U.S. Beyond military targeting, coverage from The Siasat Daily indicates that the AI was also employed to plan for the funeral of Khamenei. This represents a significant instance of a commercial AI tool being repurposed for state-level strategic operations involving the United States military. Multiple news outlets are highlighting different dimensions of this AI deployment. The Wall Street Journal and qz.com emphasize the direct threat to U.S.


Navy assets through the creation of targeting files. Meanwhile, reports from the Hana Human Rights Organization focus on a separate but related concern: the Islamic Republic's use of artificial intelligence to conduct digital surveillance of dissidents. Additionally, the electronic newspaper Sabq reports on the unveiling of a commercial espionage platform that uses AI to profile social media users in the Gulf region, expanding the scope of the activity beyond military targeting. The context of these revelations suggests a broad application of AI for surveillance and strategic planning by Iranian interests. The coverage indicates that the technology was not limited to a single objective but spanned from the tracking of warships to the monitoring of political dissidents. By leveraging a commercial American AI model, the operators were able to process information for both external military goals and internal security purposes.


The intersection of commercial AI and state-sponsored espionage highlights the risks associated with the accessibility of advanced large language models to foreign adversaries. Future developments will likely center on the specific methods used by Iran-linked operators to bypass safety filters or terms of service. Because coverage from Sabq mentions a commercial espionage platform profiling social media users, there is a focus on how these tools monitor the Gulf region. Observers will be watching for further details on the digital surveillance of dissidents as reported by the Hana Human Rights Organization. The situation remains fluid as the extent of the targeting files on U.S. Navy warships continues to be examined by security analysts and the affected organizations.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| The New York Times | Is A.I. Raising the Chances of Biological Warfare? | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMibkFVX3lxTE1sRTFFTlRvYjNlVGpBZkFweklUU1ZXcjMtbDBZc1lhbkI0ODFfZVdBQmlFeTZhbjBuWjFQVkd3SFI5Q3FZazhMazRfUTZtRmRCM2piRUgwcWZ1UG05YnF1WjFYLTJ3RFdHSUhqRFR3?oc=5) |
| interestingengineering.com | Anthropic says Iran-linked group used Claude to target U.S. Navy ships | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihwFBVV95cUxQSk5rR0tjLXJubjZFcmUtSUd2NHR2V01TUUVnX21NaUc4MExyUU40RGdMbEFudUlnZlZYcFp6ZDdYbWNkV3djMl9NNmlOUTdXRndBQXo3Q0RHQUlPT3dJY05GYUZHMnhPMW1yQzN4TTctdU51dnREV3B3YURWcVZrODA4LVo4UDQ?oc=5) |
| axios.com | Anthropic report: 5 ways Claude was exploited for war, spying and repression | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigwFBVV95cUxPN3UtUzlPZk9tWHZsV21qVFBnN1Y1dlhrM25jZl9sMmdPcWRMd1RTT2ctYzJ6NTl3MmVfWElNclhRYXVOWG02ZDdzVzJLZXBXbHNBclY1Vkt4ckJYVjVuTnNWRDdGMEt5dVdaa254U0FfX2M0LWJ5T2Jkd1dBWHhWN3piVQ?oc=5) |
| Honolulu Star-Advertiser | Anthropic report details disruption of bioweapons research, cyber espionage on Claude | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi2AFBVV95cUxNa3RZaUg0NXhKbmpnVWRMTGl3OUlWLWM0bllsN1lnVjFCX3ZmZ3VuQkNCMXF1c21wa2tVT0pWS051MnY5UTNMS1JIYUlGZmRRUlkwQW1NU29DUjZaX1RqRS01bW1lT0QtckxGTTJsUjFQNmN1akxtclBMa1JwNUtySl9KeEFMd0tMSFREbkJpaElhV1kyRWlTa01Oc1F6a3d3NC12a1c5UnE5cHBaSmpGTFlFUDgwZ0t2SHptQ3pyWDBiTTczWFd1ZVVYM3JEdnNIUzZkQU11b2g?oc=5) |
| Defense One | Russia is weaponizing US-built AI to make killer drones, cyberattack bots, and fake news | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizwFBVV95cUxOTV9lS1hJOGotZmJPT1hpUjVNbmQ5b2ttbUc4VDZFNEtJbllQaVNjWDhIZ3Y0bGVGZFZSOVdmU004WXRmTlI3VEVXajVBX0VHS1F3SzFoZF9IVFVlVGZHeTdPQTI1RXk1VFZZU3VWS3k2WUV3bXE4ZW9mTi15elZMVEVLejlpQnlCYUlxZDhTbUI2MGJpZ3B6S3BHM05ST25MNjVMVkFMY0dpRUxqTWhrQzdwRENUcWNWV0VWOWZKOFlnclZ2RGZaSW9FZDEwZTg?oc=5) |
| Iran International | Anthropic says Iran-linked accounts used Claude for propaganda, US naval targeting | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiUkFVX3lxTE5aQXlZRDNYVjhWMjlFVEZTd3RHdmh6RWV6aDJFNS1yODJQaEstNlRwVldVdFowV0lTQlNXRkg1TTNVZWVlNENVS1BVY1hwel93OHc?oc=5) |
| Navy Times | Iran used Claude to target US Navy in Middle East, Anthropic says | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiuAFBVV95cUxNRzBaNFhKdzJCTms2U0RXWXZTRVN6TFFZS294ZjkwRkc1YmRlT19ZQ3Bsc1FXRktXVE93NnFqRlMwcDBWM2xjcW1wNnJrUEpTUVNsaWtDQXNwa1k5OVhUSUJNbFktYlItNFpCQlVORV84cjNpQ0hOVXFJQkhlNHZxTkw4NzQwRzg1eEVqMmtWVndtYzJCSmpHM1ZrUEdERlR2Uk1ySXZ3Z1JPMmpxWDJJU1hkbGdlN3po?oc=5) |
| Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty | Anthropic Disrupts Iran’s Use Of Claude To Spread Propaganda, Spy On Dissidents | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiekFVX3lxTE5LYnNuQ2NqUHNGeXU3WVd3dzJtUjhtbXlPcEdaQmZqd2IwTEJpTmdkREl5cXNKU0l4R0NXQUMxSVBMNGluNjdPdFFOdURNVWhoQnVMUHd0UDRzczhpdTdLY0FlVmNnUkZMZmJyWko1WmFtMjZ4U3VXcXl30gF8QVVfeXFMUHdzWWVvQXZtYjZJM2hTRE1UUjk0Qkk0RW5hVlZtN3ByWGREOGxPNHdoamV5T1JmTklOdzV4R2Q4LVhOTUNROTF0bFVFbmlrUmtYMU5waFgxcHl5dGxJUlpsTlhvUmdZTXhzLTY5dGNkWVp2UVZ1XzYtS1g2bA?oc=5) |
| The Jerusalem Post | Tehran used Claude to target US Navy, Israeli individuals | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiakFVX3lxTE9YQ2FGajNrQVpXaFFOLXpOVWVlcWJkZXZQcWZoVUE0NTVPS1c2REsyMk8yVm1lZVhYWGxZNlpZWDBzS0h1ZkpGQmVlaG9tM1BiZmd6UVM2QmpZbTE2dTRSLUcxMzIzamRYUUE?oc=5) |
| Haaretz | Anthropic Says Iran-linked Actor Used Claude to Surveil Israelis, Diaspora Jews | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinAJBVV95cUxQbDlzekx1Q3lWbm9IQ1pjOFBlWEJ4dmxjSzlyWUVicWVCUkg1aDAxeTJvUGZOU0s4UWdKdzJzOExyUElCdFZHVTRJN0g4ekltUnFXSEFhREh5SlhmT0ZUNnNDTHBIbmR0TURqQ1V3ZU5wNlY5T1hJaGx5cjRoQzhxNXZBdHRVTEVFUklnY213SGZQT3NKTEdYWjFSOVEzX0loMmhFY3Frd2g0RzBIcy1nM2JUakQ0SVh5Vnl0VjNENDVIUF9aZ3B0N2hLYlZIajFGU3pIVmROVGt1bWdtVklSTXZwY1hjUjZCbThad0dCQ0hCc0pLMXJnT21nVmFId3B3bDVtd3RucHVhTFZWZnE1RkZiLVVtQW93M3pNaw?oc=5) |
| Brussels Signal | Anthropic finds its chatbot in Iranian ministries and Yemen rockets | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxNNGhjcUk0YlYtekJqRzRBZl9nNzNhTElFOXJkcks2YU9jUWlHamhia29IOWZlUnY2cmtLNlpDZnBIOGNlR1YtOVg4QkVGTHA5eUF5blY1TmJzVU5BYkE5NWs4QTRuRURyZXI0ZGswOEx6U20yeF9naVgwRms1YXNGNlduTDEwazRGS0RBTFVTYzEyNDVnWDM0SHNFdGlFUzMwNERlUQ?oc=5) |
| صحيفة سبق الإلكترونية | AI Monitors the Gulf: Anthropic Unveils a Commercial Espionage Platform Profiling Social Media Users | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiS0FVX3lxTE1kdVR0VjFob0VsNGNnU2llTzBGeFhmZnQ3THZLTjdOVV8wdHk3Y0FmSmJhQVFsUkFRQXhHRk1fRTJKQnJfMTdIeXVNUQ?oc=5) |
| Hana Human Rights Organization | Exposure of Digital Surveillance of Dissidents by the Islamic Republic Using Artificial Intelligence | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixwFBVV95cUxQQVhBQlFxMTJDMHJIOUN3UC1MaWlPalhzNTlHUzh0cnJLTXdSUjc2aHd1dnJhS3JFQmRHU2lXZVlnRzJNM2RuTDJYN3NJbldWLXJacklHUnJkVzRQZ1dhRHNQbUZjMHpYaWt3WUloSmFOcFRYTGRNSUNIRHJPcnJ2dFpZNjJHQ0MyRUNFdG5hY2hzeXBvTXBLOEM1b3ZqeDEySnVobU9aXzB5S2puQ2ROTHFFSHA4LVVCUFpuUjZDbVFOVDVNd1I4?oc=5) |
| The Siasat Daily | Iran used Claude to track US warships, plan Khamenei’s funeral | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilwFBVV95cUxNYjRYdVMyZ3FidjBKQlkxZlFqRnFENGZNMG84WWdpMFJvN3E4LVd2OFFOMkpkNldYOTNkQ3lCOEE4a1dHNlhQWC1FWDlIcFBCOWl0U2FCcGM3ZmtCZzFNcDQ4X3JTb3FvMTBDUEF3SDRzdU1Hcm1DN0RUVG4tM3FQUjd5U19qVW4zSDRLSnBmdzRKeWViNEpr?oc=5) |
| qz.com | Iran-linked operators used Anthropic's AI to build targeting files on U.S. warships | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMicEFVX3lxTE1pcW9yLTNzbzhuZmtvV0pUTHFFTDR0SGdjNGwtbUk2OExLZm4xMXota0dGaFRvbkdTWnRhZS1KbnI5dTBvMDg4V2xGVUM3cjhrQS03dDdOSFo0eTJsS0NxRDduVlN6dXhEaUEtZlRBTjQ?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-09-11/anthropic-says-iran-used-its-american-ai-model-to-target-u-s-navy-warships*