Hegseth disclosed sensitive military strike details on Signal before attacks on Houthi militants, raising concerns over classified information leaks.
In Short
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed military strike details against Houthi militants in Yemen via group chat, insisting the information wasn’t classified.
This has raised concerns among lawmakers about the sensitivity of shared information and potential risks to U.S. troops.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth disclosed military strike details against Houthi militants via a group chat before the operation in Yemen.
Texts published by Atlantic magazine revealed specific timings and types of weaponry set to be used in the attack.
Hegseth confirmed sharing updates with Trump officials but claimed the information was not classified. He insisted he merely provided mission updates without revealing secret details typically guarded by the Pentagon.
The texts indicated that the weather was suitable for the operation and confirmed when the first bombs would be dropped.
‘Significant figure’
National security adviser Mike Waltz later reported that the strike had successfully targeted a significant Houthi figure.
Republican lawmakers expressed concern over the sensitivity of information shared, questioning whether it required classification.
Former officials stated that military targeting plans are typically classified to prevent adversaries from gaining insight into U.S. operations.
The White House defended the authenticity of the texts, insisting no classified material was disclosed.
Concerns were raised regarding the potential dangers posed to U.S. troops if sensitive strike details were intercepted.
The Pentagon recently warned military personnel about vulnerabilities in using the Signal app for sharing classified information.
