Reuters: The US is concerned about Iran obtaining intelligence through widespread military videos

The top US commander in the Middle East has warned troops that cellphone videos posted online could help Iran attack American bases, and sources said some deployed service members may soon be ordered to surrender their phones, reports Reuters, writes UNN.

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Any restrictions on mobile communications would add a new dimension to the conflict for thousands of US troops in the region, many of whom still rely on phones to periodically send messages to loved ones and reassure them they are okay.

Admiral Brad Cooper, in a previously unpublished letter, said Iran benefits from being able to see the success or failure of its strikes almost in real time by searching for news or online posts from journalists, citing "reactions, photos and cellphone videos from our troops."

"The direct, immediate cost of this open-source intelligence can be measured in the lives of American service members and civilians in Gulf countries who have been targeted by strikes," wrote US Central Command head Cooper in his July 28 letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.

He urged troops to "redouble efforts to ensure operational security," without issuing orders for specific steps in the memo.

The warning highlighted the growing tension between real-time coverage of the war, often using satellite imagery and eyewitness accounts, and the US military's desire to limit any information that would help Iran in its attempts to kill and wound American service members.

In Jordan, which is often a target of Iranian strikes, some service members have been told their phones will be confiscated in the coming days, two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.

A third source said a similar step is being considered in the region due to operational security concerns but did not describe the confiscation as imminent.

When asked to comment on the situation, US Central Command spokesman Captain Timothy Hawkins said: "This message is a collective reminder to our service members of the importance of maintaining operational security. This is one of many opportunities Admiral Cooper has used to communicate operational priorities."

In a video posted online this month, a US service member recorded footage of soldiers running for cover during a deadly Iranian attack on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on July 17.

Cooper appeared to reference this footage in his letter, stating it was recorded on Meta smart glasses with a built-in camera, the publication writes.

"Video taken with a service member's Meta glasses was posted on Instagram, showing where and how that individual evacuated to a bunker during Iran's missile and drone strike," Cooper wrote.

According to Cooper, Iran would have difficulty determining the success or failure of its strikes were it not for such reports, thanks to the US military's use of electronic warfare and other tactics in combat zones.

"Iran knows the weapons were employed; however, its forces do not know whether they missed by 50 meters, hit an empty runway, or successfully struck a crowded facility," he wrote. "Detailed lists, descriptions, and analyses of struck targets, openly published by news agencies, essentially perform battle damage assessment for Iran for free."

As a result of the conflict with Iran that began on February 28, about 18 US service members have been killed and over 600 wounded. These losses have heightened American fears about a war that only one in three Americans supports.

Cooper said details of the strikes could help Iran organize subsequent attacks.

"Detailed public disclosure of information could be an immediate signal for Iranian forces to launch a second, much more devastating wave of attacks," he said.