US Central Command urges phone confiscation in Jordan

The U.S. military is warning troops stationed in the Middle East that videos and photos posted from their personal cellphones could provide Iran with critical intelligence, potentially leading to more effective and deadly attacks on American bases. In response, commanders are considering confiscating mobile devices from some personnel, particularly in Jordan, where U.S. forces have faced repeated strikes.

The warning was issued in a letter from Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, dated July 28. He wrote that Iran is able to assess the success or failure of its strikes in near real-time by monitoring social media posts, news reports, and footage shared online by troops. "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 stated. He called on service members to "redouble our focus on operational security."

The concerns were reportedly amplified by a specific video posted online this month, which showed U.S. troops running for shelter during a deadly Iranian missile and drone attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on July 17. Admiral...