(NewsNation) — Chinese satellites above battlefields in the Middle East have raised concerns among U.S. officials about ways China may be aiding adversaries.

According to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, concerns about data being used to aid Iran grew after a Chinese artificial intelligence company claimed to have tracked movements of American assets, including stealth fighters.

A Pentagon assessment found Chinese satellite firms have done business with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, but it is unclear whether or how Iran is using that imagery in military operations.

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MizarVision, the Chinese AI company that claimed to have tracked U.S. movements, did not disclose where it got the data it analyzed using AI.

An American satellite operator said it was indefinitely holding images of the conflict zone at the request of the U.S. government.

China has more than 640 commercial satellites in orbit, equipped with a range of technologies, including optical and infrared sensors.

Chinese company Chang Guang Satellite Technology has previously been accused of aiding U.S. adversaries and was sanctioned by the Biden administration but has denied those allegations.

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It operates the largest constellation of remote-sensing satellites with more than 150 satellites,

The use of Chinese satellite data by U.S. adversaries could make it difficult for the U.S. to conduct operations and shield the movement of assets from adversaries.

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