Did Donald Trump's top officials risk Israeli secrets? Leaked Signal chat raises alarm

National Security Advisor Michael Waltz mentioned sensitive intelligence provided by Israel in a leaked Signal group chat used by senior Trump administration officials to coordinate US airstrikes against Houthi militants in Yemen, NBC News reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter.

According to the report, Israel had supplied intelligence on a Houthi militant targeted in the US airstrike. After the first round of air raids on March 15, Waltz reportedly messaged in the group chat about the successful strike on a high-ranking Houthi official.

“Top missile guy” targeted in US airstrike

Waltz’s message, as seen in the leaked chat, reportedly read: “The first target—their top missile guy—we had positive ID of him walking into his girlfriend’s building and it is now collapsed.”

The message indicated that the US had positively identified the Houthi militant before launching the strike, which reportedly led to the destruction of the building he had entered.

Concerns over sensitive intelligence on Signal

The Trump administration has maintained that no classified information or intelligence sources were disclosed in the leaked chat. However, the revelation that Israel provided intelligence about the intended target has raised concerns about whether the discussion on a commercially available messaging app may have exposed sensitive information from a key US ally.

Israeli intelligence influenced US military strikes

According to a military official and two sources cited by the news outlet, Israel had shared intelligence in recent months that contributed to the decision to carry out the airstrikes. This information was reportedly passed along to the Biden administration as well.

The Wall Street Journal was the first to report that Israel had supplied intelligence about the Houthi militant who was targeted.

Potential risks of the leak

While officials have downplayed the risk of classified information being compromised, the leak underscores broader concerns about the security of sensitive military communications on private messaging platforms. The exposure of Israeli-supplied intelligence in an unsecured chat could strain intelligence-sharing protocols between the US and its allies.