US Weighs Soldier Cellphone Ban in Mideast

The US military is considering ordering some soldiers deployed to the Middle East to hand over their cellphones, amid concern that videos and photos posted online are helping Iran target US bases.

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), warned soldiers in a letter that Tehran is able to assess the success of its attacks in near real time through news articles or online posts based on "reactions, photos, and footage from the cellphones of our 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 wrote, urging soldiers to pay even greater attention to operational security.

Sources told Reuters that some soldiers in Jordan have already been informed that their cellphones will be confiscated in the coming days. Another source confirmed that similar measures are being considered elsewhere in the region, though nothing has been finalized yet.

In his letter, Cooper also referred to a video released this month in which a US soldier used Meta smart glasses to record military personnel taking cover during an Iranian missile and drone attack on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on 17 July. He said such footage could help Iran plan further attacks.

(Reuters, bak)