In a strong rebuttal to recent claims made by an American magazine, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has categorically dismissed allegations that he leaked classified military details concerning a March 15 strike on Houthi targets in Yemen. The magazine, which published what it claimed were leaked communications between senior U.S. national security officials, suggested that Hegseth shared sensitive information about the timing of U.S. airstrikes even before American forces were airborne.
On Wednesday, the publication released a series of messages that allegedly featured Hegseth discussing the launch of U.S. warplanes and bomb deployments. According to the report, these details were revealed in advance of the strike against the Houthis, raising concerns about potential breaches in military secrecy.
In response, Hegseth swiftly dismissed the allegations, calling them "hoaxes" and casting doubt on the authenticity of the reported chat. “Let me get this straight. The magazine released the so-called 'war plans,' and those ‘plans’ include: No names. No targets. No locations. No units. No routes. No sources. No methods. And no classified information,” Hegseth wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "Those are some really sh**** war plans," he added, further criticizing the reporting for lacking key military details.
The Pentagon has not issued an official statement on the matter beyond Hegseth's comments. However, the controversy has sparked renewed debate about the security of military operations, particularly under the Trump administration. If the leaked messages were genuine, the incident could suggest significant lapses in safeguarding sensitive military information, prompting concerns about operational security in future operations.
Hegseth also took aim at the magazine’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, questioning his understanding of military strategies and suggesting that he lacked experience in reviewing actual war plans. "This only proves one thing: Jeff Goldberg has never seen a war plan or an ‘attack plan’ (as he now calls it). Not even close," Hegseth stated.
The case continues to draw attention to the challenges of ensuring the security of military operations in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)