Brian Wheeler, a political reporter, reported that the lives of British armed forces personnel were secure despite a major security breach in the United States. Luke Pollard, the UK armed forces minister, assured Members of Parliament that British operational security was not compromised. The breach occurred when a US journalist was mistakenly included in a secret group chat discussing plans for a strike on the Houthi group in Yemen. Although the UK did not participate in the US strikes, it did offer air-to-air refueling support.
Pollard addressed concerns about UK personnel being at risk due to the use of the messaging app Signal for discussing military operations. He emphasized that UK service members are protected by standard operational security measures. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner reaffirmed the strong relationship between the UK and the US. She stated that intelligence sharing has been ongoing for many years through secure networks, dismissing calls for reevaluation.
The leaked chat revealed disparaging remarks about Europe by US Vice-President JD Vance and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. Despite this, Rayner emphasized ongoing collaboration with the US, particularly on issues like the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey expressed concerns about the leak, calling for a review of intelligence-sharing arrangements with the US. The US airstrikes against the Houthi militants in Yemen on 15 March were a response to attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
The utilization of Signal for sharing classified military plans raised security concerns, as the app is not approved by the US government for such purposes. The unintentional inclusion of a journalist in the chat led to the exposure of sensitive information. Pollard warned of disciplinary action against individuals in the UK for similar breaches. US President Donald Trump denied knowledge of the situation, with a White House spokesperson affirming confidence in the national security team
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