China Helping Iran with Satellite Data in Attacks on US Ships: CNN
Groups linked to China are providing Iran with secret satellite and geospatial intelligence data. This information is reportedly helping Iran carry out precise attacks on US military bases and commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East region.
CNN revealed this information in an exclusive report, citing US intelligence sources.
The report says Iran’s ability to launch attacks and its precision in targeting have increased dramatically in recent months. US intelligence assessments suggest that Chinese satellite data was used in a targeted Iranian drone attack in July at a US military base in Jordan. That attack killed three American soldiers.
China’s geospatial technology is also reportedly helping Iran track US military escorts and commercial ships passing through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. This has allowed Iran to launch its relatively low tech heat seeking drones at the right time and place, once they reach specific geographic points.
US intelligence officials say it remains unclear whether the Chinese government has directly ordered this information sharing, or whether the data is reaching Iran secretly through China based private or commercial satellite companies.
The Chinese government has denied these allegations. It has stated that it fulfills its international responsibilities and supports maintaining peace in the region.
Even so, this proxy information war in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global route for trade and energy supply, has created new tension in global geopolitics.
