“Since November 2023, the US has launched airstrikes on Houthi forces in response to the group’s escalating attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea.”
Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, revealed that a leaked text thread detailed plans for US airstrikes targeting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The messages included sensitive information such as specific targets, weaponry to be deployed, and the planned sequence of attacks.
While it’s unclear whether this operational information was classified, such details are typically kept secure to maintain the safety of military personnel and uphold operational integrity.
Since November 2023, the US has carried out airstrikes against the Houthis in response to their assaults on both commercial and military ships in the Red Sea. Remarkably, just two hours after receiving the details on March 15, Goldberg noted that the US initiated a series of strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen.
The National Security Council announced it is looking into how a reporter’s phone number was added to a Signal group chat that included top officials from the Trump administration, such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Goldberg mentioned that he was invited to the chat by Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security advisor, who was also part of the group. In his initial response to the situation, Hegseth called Goldberg “deceitful” and a “discredited so-called journalist,” though he did not provide further details. He also refrained from explaining why Signal was chosen to discuss the sensitive operation or how Goldberg was added to the conversation.
“Nobody was texting war plans, and that’s all I’ll say about it,” Hegseth told reporters after arriving in Hawaii on Monday, as he began his first overseas trip as defense secretary to the Asia Pacific region.
In a statement late Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated the president’s full confidence in Waltz and the national security team.
On Monday, Trump denied knowing about the situation, telling reporters it was the first time he had heard of it. He dismissed The Atlantic as “not much of a magazine.” Later, he downplayed the issue, sharing a satirical post from Elon Musk that joked about Trump leaking war plans to The Atlantic where no one would notice.
Signal, the app used for communications among government officials, isn’t classified and can be hacked, though experts say it’s more secure than regular texting. This leak comes as Hegseth’s office ramps up efforts to stop such breaches, including considering polygraphs for defense personnel to track sources.
