U.S. Central Command – Artifex.News

Flawed AI-linked intel almost led U.S. to board China ship: report

admin — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 17:23:00 +0000

Image used for representational purposes only.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The U.S. military came close to boarding a Chinese vessel in West Asia earlier this year based on a flawed intelligence report prepared with the help of artificial intelligence, CNN said Friday (September 19, 2026).

U.S. intelligence indicated the ship was carrying nuclear weapons-related components, leading American forces to prepare to intercept it, the broadcaster reported, citing four anonymous sources familiar with the incident.

But the operation was called off after officials determined that an AI chatbot used by an analyst had misidentified the material the ship was carrying.

CNN quoted one source as saying the intelligence report was “entirely false” but “almost started a war.” It did not specify what the vessel was actually carrying or where it was bound.

U.S. Central Command — which is responsible for American forces in West Asia — did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reported incident.

The CNN report comes after a furore erupted earlier this month when a researcher publicly resigned from leading AI firm Anthropic over fears that the technology could escape human control.

Another Anthropic employee, who did not resign, said publicly that “we really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans,” and that he thought the chances were greater than “10 percent within the next decade.”

Despite the warnings, U.S. President Donald Trump and some of his key allies have voiced opposition to drastically curbing the development of artificial intelligence.

In a separate incident involving the US military and China, Politico reported Friday that F-35 jet parts — including a sensitive stealth canopy for a cockpit — were diverted to Hong Kong and are now missing, raising fears that Beijing had obtained sensitive American military technology.

The parts were headed from Australia to the United States for repairs when the diversion occurred, the U.S. outlet reported, adding that it was unclear why the parts were rerouted or where they are now.

A spokesperson for Lockheed Martin, which manages the F-35 supply chain, said the company could not discuss specific shipments because of “security reasons.”

“Lockheed Martin follows all U.S. regulations established by the Department of War and regulated by the Defence Logistics Agency (DLA) regarding the shipment of aircraft components,” the spokesperson said.

“Our teams handle every shipment with the utmost diligence and safeguards to ensure the integrity of the F-35 program and the security of our allied partners.”

Published – September 19, 2026 10:53 pm IST

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U.S. launches another retaliatory strike in Syria killing leader tied to deadly Islamic State ambush

admin — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 23:07:00 +0000

A U.S. military vehicle from the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group drives through Deir Hafer, Syria, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, before a meeting with the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.
| Photo Credit: AP

A third round of retaliatory strikes by the U.S. in Syria resulted in the death of an Al-Qaeda-affiliated leader, who officials say had a direct tie to the Islamic State member responsible for last month’s ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and one American civilian interpreter in the country.

U.S. Central Command announced that the strike in northwest Syria on Friday (January 16, 2026) killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, who they claim was “an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected” to the December 13 attack that killed Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat.

“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in a statement. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”

It was the latest strike as part of a broader US operation ordered by President Donald Trump following the ambush of the Americans to target “ISIS thugs” trying to regroup after the ouster of autocratic leader Bashar Assad a year ago.

The Republican President has stressed that Syria was fighting alongside American troops, as the U.S. military is expanding its cooperation with security forces as part of a coalition fighting the militant group. He added at the time that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was “extremely angry and disturbed by this attack.”

CENTCOM said that the operation, titled “Hawkeye Strike,” has resulted in U.S. and partners like Jordan and Syria targeting more than 100 Islamic State infrastructure and weapons site targets.

Published – January 18, 2026 04:37 am IST

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U.S. forces destroy one Houthi drone, ballistic missiles in Red Sea, CENTCOM says

admin — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 05:14:20 +0000

U.S. forces on June 1 destroyed one Iran-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial system in the southern Red Sea and saw two others crash into Red Sea, U.S. Central Command said.

The Central Command forces also destroyed two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles fired in direction of the USS Gravely, it said. No injuries or damage were reported by U.S., coalition or commercial ships, it said.

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U.S. ships 1.1 million bullets seized from Iran to Ukraine

admin — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 07:26:18 +0000

An armed civil defence woman holds a Kalashnikov assault rifle while patrolling an empty street due to a curfew in Kyiv, Ukraine. The U.S. has transferred to Ukraine 1.1 million rounds of small arms ammunition that it seized from Iran, U.S. Central Command said on October 4, 2023. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Russia has long turned to Iranian-made drones to attack Ukraine. Now Ukrainian forces will be using bullets seized from Iran against Russia troops.

A U.S. Navy ship seized the 1.1 million rounds off of a vessel that was being used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to arm Houthi rebels in Yemen’s civil war in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution.

Those 7.62 mm rounds have now been transferred to Ukraine, U.S. Central Command said on October 4. The much-needed ammunition has been sent at a time when continued U.S. financial support for Kyiv’s fight to defend itself remains in question.

The 7.62 mm ammunition is the standard round for Soviet-era Kalashnikov assault rifles and their many derivatives. Ukraine, as a former Soviet republic, still relies on the Kalashnikov for many of its units.

“With this weapons transfer, the Justice Department’s forfeiture actions against one authoritarian regime are now directly supporting the Ukrainian people’s fight against another authoritarian regime. We will continue to use every legal authority at our disposal to support Ukraine in their fight for freedom, democracy, and the rule of law,” Attorney-General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
The U.S. Navy’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet and its allies have intercepted numerous ships believed to be transporting weapons and ammunition from Iran to Yemen in support of the Iranian-backed Houthis. This is the first time that the seized weaponry has been handed over to Ukraine, Central Command spokeswoman Capt. Abigail Hammock said.

This shipment was seized by Central Command naval forces in December off of a vessel the command described as a “stateless dhow,” a traditional wooden sailing ship, that was being used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to arm the Houthis.

A fragile cease-fire is in place in Yemen after the almost decadelong war, but Iran has continued to supply the Houthis with lethal aid, Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, head of U.S. Air Forces Central, told reporters on October 4. He said this was a major threat to Yemen finding a durable peace.

U.S. Central Command said the U.S. “obtained ownership of these munitions on July 20, 2023, through the Department of Justice’s civil forfeiture claims against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps”.

A United Nations arms embargo has prohibited weapons transfers to the Houthis since 2014. Iran insists it adheres to the ban, even as it has long been transferring rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, missiles and other weaponry to the Houthis via the sea.

Independent experts, Western nations and U.N. experts have traced components seized aboard detained vessels back to Iran.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Even though the shipment of more than 1 million rounds of small arms ammunition is substantial, it pales in comparison with the amount that the U.S. has already sent to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022, much of which has already been used in the intense ground battle.

The U.S. has provided more than 300 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades as part of the almost $44 billion in military aid it has sent to help Ukraine.

Further U.S. funding for Ukraine’s war was not included in a stopgap measure that prevented a government shutdown last weekend. With the ouster of Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, it was unclear whether the future leader will be able to generate enough support from the party’s hard-liners, who have opposed sending more money to Ukraine.

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