False AI Intelligence Report Led to Ship Interception

A false AI intelligence report led the U.S. military to prepare to intercept a Chinese vessel in the Middle East in spring 2026, according to four people familiar with the episode. The report incorrectly claimed the ship carried components for a nuclear weapons program during the war with Iran. Two sources said armed personnel were assembled to board the vessel, and two said American aircraft had already taken off. Officials discovered the error shortly before the planned operation. A closer review found an analyst at a special operations command produced the report with help from AI, while a chatbot misidentified cargo listed on the manifest. The accounts did not confirm what the ship was actually carrying.