Iranian State Media and Russian Channels Amplify Fake AI Images of Supertanker Cyber Attack

Iranian state-aligned media and Russian Telegram channels have spread fabricated AI-generated imagery claiming to depict a cyber attack on the VL Prosperity, a 2.3-million-barrel supertanker transiting toward the U.S., according to cybersecurity researchers. The false visuals, disseminated in early September 2026, amplified claims about the ship's compromise and helped trigger a boarding by U.S. Coast Guard and FBI cyber teams.