The top US general has warned American troops stationed at bases across the Middle East that their personal mobile phone use could be tracked and exploited by hostile actors, potentially exposing sensitive locations and movements to adversaries. The warning comes amid heightened regional tensions and reflects longstanding military concerns that everyday device use, such as location data, app permissions and network signals, can be pieced together to reveal troop positions and habits, creating security risks for personnel and operations.

The article frames this as part of broader efforts under the Trump administration to tighten operational security for US forces deployed in the region. While specific new restrictions or disciplinary measures were not detailed at length, the message underscores concern that seemingly routine digital behaviour, such as social media use, fitness tracking apps and geolocation services, could be leveraged by foreign intelligence services or militant groups to target American service members or compromise base security.