US commander warns troops that their videos are serving Iran

The top US commander in the Middle East has warned troops that videos recorded on cellphones and shared online could help Iran identify US military bases. Sources told Reuters that some deployed troops could soon be ordered to hand over their phones.

Any restrictions on cell phone communication would add a new dimension to the conflict for thousands of American soldiers in the region, many of whom still rely on their phones to occasionally text their families and reassure them that they are okay.

Admiral Brad Cooper, in a letter previously unknown to the public, said Iran is taking advantage of the opportunity to see in near real-time whether its attacks have succeeded or not, by seeking media reports or online posts by journalists containing "reactions, photos and video footage from our troops' cell phones." 

"The direct and unavoidable cost of this open-source intelligence can be measured in the lives of American service members and civilians living in the Gulf countries targeted by the attacks," Cooper wrote in his July 28 letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.

He called on troops to "redouble their focus on operational security," without outlining concrete measures in the memorandum.

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The warning underscores the growing tension between real-time news reporting on the war, often aided by satellite imagery and testimony from people on the ground, and the US military's desire to limit any information that could aid Iran in its efforts to kill or injure American soldiers.

In Jordan, which has often been the target of Iranian attacks, some soldiers have been told their phones will be confiscated in the coming days, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

A third source said such a measure is being considered in the region for operational security reasons, but stressed that confiscating phones is not yet certain.

Asked for comment, US Central Command spokesman Captain Timothy Hawkins said, "The message is a general reminder to our service members about the importance of maintaining operational security."

In a video released online this month, a US soldier captured on camera the moment soldiers ran for shelters during a deadly Iranian attack on the Muwaffaq Salti air base in Jordan on July 17.

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Cooper appears to have referred to this very video in his letter, saying it was recorded with Meta smart glasses, equipped with a built-in camera.

"A video recorded by a soldier's Meta goggles was posted on Instagram and showed where and how he took shelter in a bunker during an Iranian missile and drone attack," Cooper wrote.

According to him, under normal circumstances, Iran would have had a very difficult time determining whether its attacks had been successful or not, were it not for these publications, as the US military uses electronic interference (jamming) and other tactics in war zones.

"Iran knows the weapons were fired, but its forces do not know whether they missed the target by 50 meters, hit an empty runway, or successfully hit a crowded facility," he wrote.

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"The detailed lists, descriptions, and analyses of targets hit, openly published by the media, are essentially doing Iran's battle damage assessment for free," Cooper added.

Since the conflict with Iran began on February 28, 18 American soldiers have been killed and more than 600 wounded. These losses have added to the anxiety of the American public.