The U.S. military is considering requiring some troops deployed in the Middle East to surrender their personal mobile phones as part of efforts to strengthen operational security, according to a Reuters report. The move follows concerns that videos, photos, and other content shared online by service members may be providing Iran with valuable intelligence about the effectiveness of its military strikes. The discussions come after Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), issued a July 28 letter warning that publicly available information has enabled Iran to evaluate the results of its attacks in near real time.
According to Reuters, Cooper stated in the previously unreported letter that Iran has benefited from monitoring news reports and online content containing reactions, photographs, and videos captured on the personal devices of U.S. troops. He warned that the widespread availability of this material allows Iranian forces to conduct battle damage assessments without relying solely on their own intelligence capabilities. Cooper wrote that the consequences of such open source intelligence could be measured in the lives of American service members and civilians living in Gulf countries targeted by attacks. He urged military personnel to strengthen their focus on operational security, although the memo did not direct troops to follow any specific measures. Cooper also explained that under normal battlefield conditions, U.S. electronic jamming and other countermeasures make it difficult for Iran to determine whether its missiles successfully struck intended targets. He noted that detailed reports and publicly shared imagery effectively provide Iran with confirmation of strike results, potentially allowing follow up attacks to be planned more effectively.
Reuters also reported that Cooper appeared to reference a recent incident involving a video shared online by a U.S. service member using Meta smart glasses. The footage, reportedly posted on Instagram, showed soldiers seeking shelter in a bunker during the Iranian missile and drone attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on July 17. Cooper cited the incident as an example of how digital content can unintentionally reveal sensitive operational details, including troop movements and protective locations during active military operations. Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that some U.S. troops stationed in Jordan have already been informed their personal phones may be confiscated in the coming days, while another source indicated similar measures are being considered across the region due to operational security concerns. However, Reuters noted that no final decision has been confirmed. CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Timothy Hawkins described the communication as a general reminder emphasizing the importance of operational security and said Adm. Cooper has regularly used similar messages to reinforce military priorities.
The concerns extend beyond social media activity and include broader risks associated with mobile device tracking. Reuters highlighted earlier reporting by the Financial Times, which stated that mobile networks across the Middle East experienced repeated SS7 style tracking attempts intended to identify the locations of U.S. military personnel and contractors. The report cited data reviewed by the Mobile Surveillance Monitor research project, indicating that the tracking activity began before February military operations and continued during the early stages of the conflict. According to the Financial Times, Gulf officials suspected Iran or allied groups of exploiting roaming agreements with regional telecommunications providers, while another U.S. official believed Iran linked actors had also used commercially available advertising data to track mobile phones in northern Iraq. Gary Miller, a senior research fellow at Citizen Lab who reviewed the data for the Financial Times, said Iran possesses the capability to obtain real time and continuous location information and that it would be unsurprising if SS7 access and regional mobile network infrastructure were being used to monitor U.S. users. The reported developments highlight the growing role of digital information, mobile technologies, and publicly available data in modern military operations and operational security planning.
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