Chinese Firms Used AI Satellites to Show Iran Exactly Where US Troops Were Stationed in the Middle East

Three Chinese companies leveraged artificial intelligence to detect and map US military installations across the Middle East, then shared the data publicly, directly assisting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in targeting American forces. The firms—MizarVision (operating as MizarVision), Beijing-based The Earth Eye, and Chang Guang Satellite Technology—processed commercially available satellite imagery using machine learning to identify fighter jets, fuel depots, radar systems, and troop concentrations. Their findings, posted on platforms like Weibo and X, included annotated images of F-22 stealth fighters at Israel’s Ovda Air Base, KC-135 tankers in Saudi Arabia, and US aircraft carriers USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln. The US Department of State sanctioned the three firms on May 8, 2026, linking their geospatial intelligence to Iranian missile and drone strikes during Operation Epic Fury. A US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment confirmed the IRGC used the data to refine attack plans, with reports from ABC News in April 2026 detailing how the imagery helped Iran target American military assets. Chang Guang Satellite Technology had previously faced US sanctions in December 2023 for aiding Russian forces and was later accused of supplying imagery to Iran-backed Houthi groups attacking US ships in the Red Sea. The firms operated outside traditional espionage by purchasing high-resolution imagery from Western providers and automating military site detection with AI. This process, once time-consuming for intelligence agencies, now generates actionable data in minutes. The US requested American satellite firms like Planet Labs restrict Middle East imagery in April 2026, but Chinese companies continue selling AI-analyzed data on open platforms, evading US controls. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that providing satellite imagery to Iran ‘threatens American and partner personnel,’ while the State Department vowed retaliation. MizarVision responded to the sanctions by posting the US notice alongside job listings on Chinese social media, framing the sanctions as ‘free publicity.’ The incident underscores the challenges of regulating China’s rapidly expanding commercial satellite industry, which now rivals the US in scale and accessibility. The sanctions arrived as President Donald Trump prepared for a May 14–15 summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, raising concerns about Beijing’s role in facilitating military intelligence sharing with adversaries. The case highlights how AI-driven geospatial analysis is reshaping modern warfare, allowing non-state actors to exploit publicly available data for strategic attacks.