WANA (Jul 29) – General Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), has issued a stern warning to American service members against sharing videos and posts online, cautioning that Iran possesses the capability to assess the success or failure of its strikes in near real-time through open-source intelligence.

 

According to reports, the issue has become so critical that military leadership may order U.S. personnel deployed in the region to surrender their personal mobile devices.

 

In a letter dated July 28, Gen. Cooper warned that “the direct and unavoidable cost of this open-source intelligence could be paid in the lives of American troops and civilian residents in targeted Gulf nations.” He urged troops to immediately redouble their focus on operational security (OPSEC).

 

The directive comes following the online circulation of several videos filmed by U.S. service members at regional bases. The footage reportedly showed panic among personnel alongside noticeable structural damage to facilities, contrasting with official efforts to control reports on casualties and damages to U.S. interests.

 

In Jordan, which has been targeted repeatedly by Iranian strikes, some U.S. personnel have already been notified that their smartphones will be confiscated in the coming days.