US using AI, B-2 bombers and suicide drones in Iran strikes

In a significant escalation, the United States executed Operation Epic Fury against Iranian military targets, marking the combat debut of several new technologies. The strikes, detailed by US Central Command, employed Tomahawk cruise missiles, F-18 and F-35 stealth fighters, and B-2 bombers carrying 2,000-pound bombs to target hardened facilities. Most notably, the Pentagon fielded low-cost, one-way attack drones modeled after Iranian designs, turning an adversary's tactic against them. The operation's scale and technological diversity represent a new phase in modern warfare, blending traditional air power with asymmetric drone tactics.

A critical and controversial aspect of the operation was the Pentagon's use of artificial intelligence services from Anthropic, the maker of Claude AI models. According to sources, Anthropic's tools were utilized in the war effort, even though just one day prior, President Donald Trump had directed the government to stop working with the startup after it was declared a supply chain risk to national security. This creates a stark contradiction, as the AI was deemed both a threat and a tactical asset simultaneously. The specific combat applications of Claude AI—potentially for intelligence analysis, targeting, or logistics—remain unclear, as neither the Pentagon nor Anthropic commented. The situation underscores the complex, dual-use nature of advanced AI, where the same technology powering commercial chatbots is now deeply integrated into classified military operations, raising profound ethical and security questions.