According to Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Russian and Chinese state actors, alongside North Korea and Iran, are increasingly employing AI to enhance the scale and persistence of cyber operations against the United Kingdom.

Chichester notes that this shift has transformed cyberattacks into a standard component of state intelligence, with AI augmenting the operational productivity of these threats. Concurrently, the UK is leveraging AI tools to strengthen its defensive capabilities against these evolving challenges.

According to a CNN report, US military planning documents reportedly consider the GBU-43/B MOAB for strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, including the Pickaxe Mountain facility, if renewed combat operations are ordered. Officials familiar with the discussions noted uncertainty regarding the weapon's efficacy against deeply underground targets, although the MOAB has previously been deployed by the US military in 2017.

CNN reported on Thursday that the US military has drafted strike plans for Iranian energy and nuclear sites, including the potential use of the GBU-43/B MOAB, should President Trump order a resumption of combat operations. While sources noted that officials doubt the weapon’s effectiveness against deeply buried targets like Pickaxe Mountain, the reports remain unconfirmed by the Pentagon.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced an "Energy Ceasefire" regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict via social media, a move that appears to have occurred without prior consultation between the parties. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated the proposal was unexpected but affirmed his readiness to accept it, while Russian President Vladimir Putin’s administration responded with attacks on Ukrainian power infrastructure.

Concurrently, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham met with Zelenskyy to reaffirm British support for Ukraine and urge other nations to increase their contributions.