Modern warfare is no longer limited to direct military confrontations or traditional diplomatic maneuvers; artificial intelligence has established itself as a major and influential player in managing international conflicts. Amid escalating tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States, a new "disinformation front" has emerged, relying entirely on advanced technologies. Algorithms and fake videos have become effective weapons aimed at shaping public opinion and destabilizing the region, with their effects extending to the Arabian Gulf.

A virtual battlefield and a falsification of reality

Historically, war propaganda has been an integral part of conflicts, but what the world is witnessing today represents a dangerous shift. It is no longer confined to printed publications or targeted broadcasts; it has moved into a digital space where narratives are formed at lightning speed. In the current phase, deepfakes and AI-generated images have transformed into digital swarms that spread before being vetted, leaving a psychological and political impact before they can be refuted.

WIRED , a magazine specializing in technical analysis, documented a widespread wave of disinformation that swept across the “X” platform following the announcements of the mutual military operations. This wave included hundreds of posts containing old clips recycled to fit the current moment, images entirely generated by artificial intelligence, and even footage from realistic video games presented to the public as real bombing scenes. Verified (and paid) accounts contributed to promoting this footage to lend it a false legitimacy.

Alarming figures and international reports

The data clearly demonstrates the scale of this digital onslaught. NewsGuard revealed a massive network of 2,089 news sites that rely primarily on AI-generated content without disclosure, facilitating the "laundering" of rumors and their republishing as credible news. Meanwhile, the Associated Press cited a Microsoft report that tracked more than 200 disinformation incidents using artificial content between 2024 and 2025, more than double the number from previous years.

A striking example of the speed of dissemination is that two fake videos entered the list of the 15 most-viewed videos about Iran on the TikTok platform in just one week, while three other videos garnered more than 100 million views across multiple platforms, confirming that the impact is achieved as soon as they are viewed, even if a denial is issued later.

Gulf warnings and heightened security alert

Given the sensitive geopolitical location of the Gulf states, the region was not immune to this information war. Simultaneous official warnings reflected a deep understanding of the seriousness of the information front

• Saudi Arabia: The Ministry of Interior called for the need to verify the information circulating and not to be swayed by anonymous accounts, stressing the importance of relying only on official channels as a source of information.
• United Arab Emirates: Dubai Police warned against fraudsters exploiting crises and impersonating officials to obtain sensitive data such as (UAE Pass), stressing that government agencies do not request verification codes via phone.
• Kingdom of Bahrain: Security authorities have intensified cyber awareness campaigns, warning against sharing personal data or republishing unreliable content during times of crisis.

These data confirm that the battle in times of crisis is not measured only by what happens on the ground, but also by what is published on screens, making digital awareness and individual verification the first line of defense in the national security system.

In a first of its kind globally, the United States Departments of Energy and Defense announced the successful execution of the first airlift of a miniature nuclear reactor, in a strategic step aimed at demonstrating readiness to deploy advanced nuclear energy solutions quickly and effectively to serve both military and civilian purposes.

Details of the complex logistical process

The successful operation involved transporting the reactor from California to Hill Air Force Base in Utah aboard a C-17 Globemaster strategic military transport aircraft. To ensure maximum safety during air transport, the reactor was shipped without nuclear fuel, demonstrating the ease with which reactor infrastructure can be moved before fueling at the operating site.

This achievement was accomplished through close collaboration between government agencies and California-based Valar Atomics, which selected one of the company’s Ward miniature reactors to carry out this pioneering experiment.

A strategic shift in the concepts of energy and national security

This move is of paramount importance, extending far beyond mere logistical transport; it represents a shift in American military and industrial doctrine toward the adoption of "mobile nuclear power." Historically, nuclear reactors have been massive, fixed civilian facilities requiring years to construct, but the move toward micro-reactors offers flexible energy solutions.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffy were aboard the aircraft to closely monitor the operation, hailing it as a pivotal achievement in military logistics. Duffy emphasized that this operation "brings the United States closer to deploying nuclear power at the right time and place," which means enhancing the U.S. military's ability to support forces in combat missions and at remote bases without relying entirely on vulnerable conventional fuel supply chains.

Political support and a future-oriented approach

This experiment aligns with the policies of US President Donald Trump's administration, which has adopted a strategy of expanding small nuclear reactors as a key pathway to increasing energy production. This approach is driven by growing national security demands, as well as the immense needs of data centers and artificial intelligence applications, which require sustainable and reliable energy sources. Last May, Trump issued four executive orders aimed at promoting and expanding the deployment of nuclear power, and in December, the Department of Energy awarded grants to accelerate the development of these technologies.

Technical specifications and promising business plans

Technically speaking, Isaiah Taylor, CEO of Valar, explained that the mobile reactor is compact, slightly larger than a small bus, yet has a tremendous capacity to generate up to 5 megawatts of electricity, enough to supply about 5,000 homes with continuous power.

Taylor revealed the operational timeline, stating that work will begin next July with an initial capacity of 100 kilowatts, gradually increasing to 250 kilowatts later this year, and eventually reaching full capacity. The company aims to begin trial power sales by 2027, with plans to transition to full commercial operation in 2028. The company emphasized the need for enabling federal regulations to allow fuel manufacturing and uranium enrichment within the United States to ensure the independence of this vital sector.