The U.S. intelligence community believes that a Chinese geospatial artificial intelligence and software company has released satellite images of U.S. military bases in the Middle East enhanced with artificial intelligence, aiding Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in identifying targets and endangering the lives of Americans and U.S. allies.
The company in question is MizarVision, in which the Chinese authorities hold a minority stake. A source from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) told ABC that before and during the Iran War, MizarVision used artificial intelligence tools to release detailed satellite images of multiple U.S. military bases with marked data. In the past, identifying and marking large area military forces required resources from national intelligence agencies.
The source told ABC that this is a case of a Chinese company maliciously utilizing open-source platforms to provide intelligence on missile guidance and drone targeting, posing a threat to the lives of Americans and allies. Another U.S. government source in Australia also confirmed that MizarVision has been using AI software to identify various military capabilities, including specific types of aircraft, naval ship positions, anti-aircraft systems, and radar deployments.
Last month, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission released a statement on its official Facebook page, pointing out that companies associated with China are turning artificial intelligence into battlefield surveillance tools against the U.S., and the threat from the Chinese technological ecosystem has become a reality rather than just a theoretical concern.
Over the weekend, satellite company Planet Labs revealed to ABC before releasing a statement that the U.S. government had requested all satellite image providers to indefinitely cease providing images of conflict zones, fearing that Iran could exploit Planet Labs’ data.
MizarVision did not respond to multiple requests for comments from ABC. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that Chinese companies operate legally and follow standard market practices. The statement also accused some of maliciously linking the Iran War to the Chinese authorities for sensational purposes, emphasizing China’s strong opposition to such claims.
ABC reported that even before the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran War, MizarVision had been increasingly focused on U.S. military assets in the Middle East. For instance, in the week leading up to the Iran War, its Weibo account posted at least six photos of the Prince Sultan airbase in Saudi Arabia, showing the locations of Patriot missile defense systems and dozens of aircraft, along with analysis. Less than 48 hours after the last photo was posted, Iran carried out a retaliatory attack on the base, resulting in the death of a U.S. soldier who was severely wounded.
Michael Dahm, a senior researcher at the Elliott School of International Affairs’ security policy research program, pointed out that MizarVision’s long-term provision of free military images is highly suspicious. Companies operate to make a profit and do not give away things for free; Dahm suggested that if this practice continues, there may be external influences at play.
Dahm believed that MizarVision’s actions could be orchestrated by the Chinese authorities or military, aiming to shape strategic narratives in conflicts and disrupt military deployments on the battlefield.
China holds significant strategic interests in Iran. During Iran’s pre-war international sanctions, China purchased over 80% of Iran’s oil, equivalent to about 1.38 million barrels per day, accounting for 13.4% of China’s total seaborne oil imports.
According to the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency source, the release of the marked data by MizarVision poses a threat to the U.S. military, as the Iranian Revolutionary Guard used this data to prioritize targets for missile and drone systems. Following the publication of this data, not only did some U.S. military bases become targets, but specific capabilities identified at that time also became targets.
Dahm pointed out that the leakage of sensitive imagery has become an increasingly serious issue. The main concern is that if satellite images fall into the hands of individuals near the bases, they can quickly take action. During the Russia-Ukraine War, the U.S. intelligence community also adopted similar strategies, providing a large amount of commercial satellite images in real time to Ukrainian forces, showing the encirclement of Ukraine by Russian forces and revealing the positions of troops and tanks, putting Russia at a disadvantage.
Business records show that MizarVision was established in 2021 as a private company, with the Chinese authorities holding a 5.5% stake. The company’s website states that its mission is to lower the threshold for geospatial information discovery and analysis, democratizing and popularizing geospatial intelligence through open-source forces.
ABC reported that Bethany Allen, in charge of China investigations and analysis at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, stated that by Chinese standards, a 5.5% government ownership stake is not considered high. However, over the past 15 years, the Chinese authorities have been trying to blur the lines between state-owned and non-state-owned entities, creating numerous channels for government funds to flow into investment tools. Many Chinese companies now have a certain percentage of investment from state-owned Chinese investment tools or private investment tools funded by government grants.
MizarVision also released images of Israeli air defense positions during the Iran War. On March 13, during its fifth anniversary celebration, MizarVision boasted that a Chinese satellite had captured photos of U.S. Air Force F-22 fighters parked at an Israeli Air Force base for the first time.
Additionally, the MizarVision platform has repeatedly released images detailing aircraft and naval vessels on the Diego Garcia island in the Indian Ocean, where the U.S. and UK have a joint military base. In mid-February, the platform published a map of the Australian Navy frigate “HMAS Toowoomba” crossing through Asian waters. Data tracking showed that the ship had entered the Taiwan Strait that day. Approximately two weeks later, a helicopter on board the ship engaged in a confrontation with a People’s Liberation Army Navy helicopter in the high seas of the Yellow Sea.
ABC reported that despite having one of the world’s strictest censorship systems, China allowed MizarVision to continue releasing satellite images for several months, including images analyzing the progress of TSMC’s new factory construction. Dahm noted that just a few decades ago, satellite image collection was limited to a few governments, whereas now, all one needs is a laptop and a credit card to have satellites capture images of almost anywhere on Earth.