Yemen war plans accidentally sent to journalist

A group of top Trump administration officials reportedly shared sensitive military plans over the encrypted messaging app Signal just hours before the United States launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, sparking a political storm in Washington.

According to a detailed account by The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, the Signal group included high-ranking officials such as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Vice President JD Vance, and other Trump cabinet members. Goldberg said he was added to the group by accident and received war plans ahead of the March 15 operation, including information on weapons, timing, and targets.

The leak has triggered sharp criticism from lawmakers. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence,” while Senator Elizabeth Warren described it as “dangerous beyond belief.” Democrat Chris Coons demanded a full congressional investigation.

White House officials later confirmed the thread’s authenticity, but said there were no threats to national security or U.S. personnel. NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes said, “We are reviewing how an inadvertent number was added to the chain,” and emphasised that policy coordination had remained “deep and thoughtful.”

President Donald Trump denied knowledge of the chat, saying, “I don’t know anything about it,” while adding that the Houthi strikes were “very effective.”

The incident coincides with the Trump administration’s ongoing campaign against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militants, who have launched repeated attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes. Trump officials have pledged to “decimate the Houthis,” with Hegseth defending the strikes and denying any mishandling of information.

Jeffrey Goldberg called the leak “shockingly reckless” and raised concerns about national security protocols inside the current administration.

The U.S. began its latest campaign of strikes against the Houthis on March 15. The group is officially designated as a terrorist organisation by the U.S. government.

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