Some U.S.troops deployed to the Middle East may soon be ordered to surrender their cellphones as military leaders warn that Iran is using photos and videos posted online to assess where its strikes landed and potentially improve follow-up attacks, Reuters first reported Wednesday.Some service members stationed in Jordan have been told their phones will be confiscated in the coming days, two sources familiar with the matter told the outlet.
A third source said cellphone restrictions were being considered more broadly across the region because of operational security concerns but did not describe the move as certain.Any crackdown would force U.S.military commanders to balance operational security against troops’ reliance on cellphones to communicate with their families during wartime.Soldiers use smartphones to record video of a speech by U.S.
President Donald Trump aboard USS George Washington on October 28, 2025 in Yokosuka, Japan.(Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)TWO US SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN IRANIAN STRIKES ON JORDAN, CENTCOM SAYSU.S.
Central Command (CENTCOM) — the military command which leads U.S.military operations in the Middle East — confirmed to Fox News Digital that commander Adm.
Brad Cooper sent the internal message described in the report but declined to release it publicly."The message is a general reminder to our service members on the importance of maintaining operational security," CENTCOM spokesperson Capt.Tim Hawkins said.
"This is one of many opportunities Admiral Cooper has used to convey operational priorities."A defense official declined to tell Fox News Digital whether personnel had been ordered to surrender their phones or whether wider restrictions were under consideration, saying CENTCOM does not discuss force-protection tactics and techniques for operational security reasons.SECRET SERVICE AGENT ON JD VANCE'S DETAIL INVESTIGATED FOR ALLEGEDLY LEAKING OPERATIONAL SECURITY INFOThe message warned that online posts were giving Iran n...