The U.S. military is weighing new restrictions on cellphone use for some American troops serving in the Middle East amid concerns that Iran is using publicly available social media posts to evaluate the effectiveness of its missile and drone strikes.
Some U.S. service members deployed in Jordan have been told they could be required to surrender their phones in the coming days.
Reuters reported that two sources familiar with the matter said some troops had been told their phones would be confiscated, while a third source said military officials are also considering broader cellphone restrictions across the region because of operational security concerns. Those wider restrictions have not been confirmed.
The discussions emerged as fighting between the United States and Iran has escalated. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump vowed an intentional response after Iran launched strikes targeting U.S. troops in Jordan, saying the United States would “beat the f*cking sh*t out of” Iran.
U.S. Central Command confirmed that CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper recently sent an internal message to service members emphasizing operational security. CENTCOM declined to release the message publicly.
“The message is a general reminder to our service members on the importance of maintaining operational security,” CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins stated. “This is one of many opportunities Admiral Cooper has used to convey operational priorities.”
A Defense Department official also declined to comment to Fox News whether troops had been ordered to surrender their phones or whether additional restrictions were under consideration, saying CENTCOM does not discuss force protection tactics or techniques for operational security reasons.
Cooper warned that publicly available information, including social media posts, news reports,, and audio/ video footage, can help Iran determine where its missiles and drones landed.
“The direct, unavoidable cost of this open-source intelligence could be measured in the lives of American service members,” Cooper reportedly wrote.
Cooper reportedly cited footage uploaded online after Iran’s July 17 attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. The attack killed Pvt. Isabella Gonzales and fatally wounded 1st Lt. Tyler Feehan. Sgt. Angel Rampersad is also believed to have been killed.
One video, recorded through a service member’s Meta smart glasses, showed troops rushing to shelter and documented the route the individual took while evacuating. According to Fox News, Cooper warned that publicly available footage can help reveal whether Iranian strikes hit populated facilities, struck empty areas, or missed altogether.
Rules mitigating personal cellphone usage already differ across the military. Personal devices are prohibited during sensitive missions and inside classified facilities, while many service members stationed at established overseas bases are still permitted to keep and use their phones.
Cooper’s warning is separate from concerns brought in June about commercially available cellular location data. CENTCOM previously told lawmakers it had received “multiple threat reports concerning adversary exploitation of commercial location data to target or surveil U.S. personnel in theater.”
A bipartisan group led by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC), later urged the Pentagon to strengthen protections against that threat, warning that commercially available location data could be used to identify military installations, monitor troop movements, or track individual service members.
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