Report: CENTCOM commander warns troops their videos put US forces in danger, confiscations may come
The top U.S. commander in the Middle East is reportedly warning American troops that cellphone videos posted online may be giving Iran critical intelligence about its attacks on U.S. bases.
Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, said photos and footage can show Iranian forces whether their missiles struck personnel, buildings or empty ground — information that could help Tehran adjust future attacks — according to a Reuters exclusive.
Some troops in Jordan have been told their phones could soon be confiscated, according to Reuters, although CENTCOM described Cooper’s message as a general security reminder.
“The direct, unavoidable cost of this open-source intelligence could be measured in the lives of American service members and civilian residents in targeted Gulf countries,” Cooper wrote in his Tuesday letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.
He called on troops to “redouble our focus on operational security,” without prescribing specific steps in the memo.
“The message is a general reminder to our service members on the importance of maintaining operational security,” CENTCOM spokesperson Captain Timothy Hawkins told Reuters.
“This is one of many opportunities Admiral Cooper has used to convey operational priorities.”
The warning follows the online release of footage showing U.S. personnel running for shelter during a deadly July 17 attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
“Video captured from a service member’s Meta glasses was posted on Instagram showing where and how the individual had evacuated to a bunker during an Iranian missile and drone attack,” Cooper wrote.
Iran would normally have a tough time determining the success or failure of its strikes, were it not for such accounts, Cooper said, thanks to the U.S. military’s electronic jamming or other tactics used in war zones.
“Iran knows the weapons were fired; however, their forces do not know if they missed by 50 meters, hit an empty tarmac, or successfully struck a crowded facility,” he wrote.
“Detailed lists, descriptions, and analyses of what was hit, openly published by news outlets are essentially performing Iran’s Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) for them, free of charge,” Cooper said.
Eighteen U.S. troops have been killed and more than 600 wounded since the conflict began on Feb. 28, including four in the month of July after Iran violated the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) ceasefire.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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