WASHINGTON: A significant security concern has arisen after a journalist was accidentally included in a private messaging group where senior defense officials discussed confidential U.S. military plans targeting Yemen’s Houthis. According to an exclusive report from The Atlantic, the incident occurred on March 13 when Jeffrey Goldberg, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, was mistakenly added to an encrypted Signal chat group titled the “Houthi PC small group.”
The group was used to discuss military plans ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s authorized strikes on the Houthis, a group supported by Iran, which had recently attacked Red Sea shipping. The message thread contained sensitive details about the operation, including target information, weapons to be deployed, and the sequencing of the attack.
In the chat, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz tasked his deputy, Alex Wong, with organizing a “tiger team” to carry out U.S. actions against the Houthis. The strike campaign was officially launched on March 15, with a clear warning from the U.S. to Iran to halt its support of the Houthis immediately.
Goldberg reported that in the hours leading up to the airstrikes, operational details of the plan were shared within the chat, including specifics on the deployment of weapons and the targeted areas. Describing the use of the chat as “shockingly reckless,” Goldberg chose not to reveal the full details but noted the seriousness of the situation.
The Department of Defense responded to inquiries about the incident by referring questions to the National Security Council (NSC). NSC spokesman Brian Hughes confirmed the authenticity of the chat group, acknowledging that the message thread appeared genuine. He stated, “At this time, the message thread that was reported appears to be authentic, and we are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain. The thread is a demonstration of the deep and thoughtful policy coordination between senior officials. The ongoing success of the Houthi operation demonstrates that there were no threats to our service members or our national security.”
This security lapse has raised concerns about the handling of sensitive military information and the potential consequences of such a breach. Despite these concerns, Hughes emphasized that the operation against the Houthis had been successful, without endangering U.S. service members or compromising national security.
