Reports of the US military using the AI 'Claude' in a preemptive strike on Iran follow a declaration of severing ties with developer Anthropic
On February 28, 2026, the US and Israeli militaries launched a preemptive attack on Iran. Multiple media outlets have reported that Anthropic's AI product, Claude, was used in this attack.
US Strikes in Middle East Use Anthropic, Hours After Trump Ban
Claude used in Iran strikes | Axios AM
https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-am-f0954cb2-2f31-4426-87fd-050095005344.html?chunk=2#story2
On February 28, 2026, the US and Israeli militaries launched a large-scale attack on Iranian targets. The operation was named 'Operation Epic Fury.' Israeli media reports stated that 'the operation had been planned for several months, with the initial phase of the operation expected to last four days.'
Israel launches preemptive attack on Iran, joint operation with the US - GIGAZINE
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed in the attack, and President Donald Trump also posted on Truth Social on March 1, 2026, 'Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, one of the most evil men in history, is dead. This is justice not only for the Iranian people, but for all great Americans and the people of many countries around the world.' He added, 'Ayatollah Khamenei was unable to evade America's intelligence agencies and sophisticated tracking systems. We worked closely with Israel, so there was nothing Ayatollah Khamenei or any of the other leaders killed with him could have done .'
Regarding the operation by the US and Israeli militaries, The Wall Street Journal and Axios reported, citing sources familiar with the operation, that 'the US used Anthropic's Claude to support Operation Epic Fury.'
Claude was reportedly used in the US military's operation to capture President Maduro in January 2026. However, Anthropic restricted the use of AI for 'mass domestic surveillance' and 'fully autonomous weapons,' and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called for the restrictions to be lifted.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei announced on February 26, 2026, that he would reject Secretary of Defense Hegseth's request. Following this declaration, President Trump ordered all government agencies to halt use of Anthropic products on February 28, 2026, stating, 'We cannot allow companies with radical left-wing ideology to attempt to control how our great military fights and wins.' Secretary of Defense Hegseth also ordered Anthropic designated as a 'supply chain risk to national security.' Claude may have been used in the military operations against Iran that were carried out on the same day as these orders.
President Trump claims that Anthropic's left-wing fanatics have attempted to control the U.S. military, and orders the severance of ties. Secretary of Defense Hegseth will designate Anthropic as a 'supply chain risk' - GIGAZINE
President Trump has set a six-month phase-out period for Anthropic, and Secretary of Defense Hegseth has also stated that 'Anthropic can provide services to the Department of War (DoD) for up to six months to enable a 'seamless transition to better, more patriotic service.'' He has also stated that Anthropic products can continue to be used for six months. The Department of Defense also signed a contract with OpenAI immediately after the breakdown of negotiations with Anthropic.
OpenAI agrees to AI contract with Department of Defense, shortly after Anthropic negotiations collapse - GIGAZINE
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