A US journalist unknowingly joined a private group chat where top officials discussed military strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and others shared classified details. As a result, the White House confirmed the security breach on Monday.

Sensitive Military Plans Leaked

US President Donald Trump approved the strikes on March 15. However, journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, received advance details through the Signal group chat. Consequently, this raised serious security concerns.

National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes admitted the mistake. He stated, “The message thread that was reported appears to be authentic, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain.” Meanwhile, the White House assured that Trump “continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team.” Despite this assurance, Trump denied any prior knowledge of the issue.

Hegseth Denies Any Wrongdoing

Later, Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor, dismissed concerns when questioned about the breach. He insisted, “nobody was texting war plans,” even though the White House had already confirmed the security lapse.

According to Goldberg, Hegseth shared key attack details. In fact, he wrote, “According to the lengthy Hegseth text, the first detonations in Yemen would be felt two hours hence, at 1:45 pm eastern time.” As expected, the strikes occurred exactly as described.

Fortunately, Goldberg did not leak the information before the attack. Instead, he revealed that he had been in the chat for two days and had seen messages from officials planning the operation.

Officials Debate the Strikes

Meanwhile, officials in the chat disagreed on the attack. On March 14, Vance questioned the mission. He expressed frustration, saying he hated “bailing Europe out again” since Houthi attacks affected Europe more than the US.

On the other hand, others pushed forward with the plan. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Hegseth insisted only Washington had the capability to carry out the operation. Additionally, Hegseth agreed with Vance, stating, “I share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.”

Furthermore, another official, possibly Trump advisor Stephen Miller, suggested the US should gain economic benefits in return for securing shipping routes.

Outrage Over Security Breach

As the controversy grew, Hegseth avoided answering why officials used a commercial messaging app instead of secure channels. Consequently, his silence only fueled criticism.

As expected, Democrats condemned the breach. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time.” Therefore, he demanded a full investigation. Similarly, Senator Jack Reed called the situation “stunning and dangerous.”

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton, whom Trump had criticized for using a private email server, shared The Atlantic article. She posted, “You have got to be kidding me.”

Houthi Attacks Disrupt Global Trade

The Houthi rebels control much of Yemen. Notably, they belong to the “axis of resistance,” a group of pro-Iran factions that oppose Israel and the US.

During the Gaza war, they launched drone and missile attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. As a result, global trade suffered major disruptions. Their actions crippled shipping routes, which usually carry about 12% of the world’s cargo. Consequently, many companies had to reroute around Africa, significantly increasing costs.

US Strikes on Houthis Continue

Initially, the US began targeting the Houthis under President Joe Biden. Over time, the military launched several strikes, some with British support.

Now, Trump has escalated the attacks. He vowed to “use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective.” As a result, US airstrikes have continued for the past 10 days.

In the end, the security breach has raised serious concerns. Top officials shared classified details in an unsecured chat. Therefore, many are now questioning the administration’s handling of sensitive military information.