Since the conflict with Iran began on February 28, at least 18 US troops have been killed, and more than 600 have been wounded. (AI Generated Image)The US military is considering restricting mobile phone use among troops in Jordan over fears that Iran could exploit social media posts and cellphone footage to help target American bases, news agency Reuters reported, citing unnamed sources.Though any possible crackdown on mobile devices hasn’t been formally confirmed across the region, it could, however, add a new dimension to the hostilities for the thousands of US military personnel deployed in the Gulf, many of whom rely on mobile phones to communicate with their loved ones.CENTCOM warns social media posts could aid IranUS Central Command’s (CENTCOM) Admiral Brad Cooper, in an unreported letter, had previously said Iran was gaining by being able to see the success or failure of its strikes in real time by searching for news reports or online posts by journalists referencing “reactions, photos, and footage from the cellphones of our troops,” Reuters reported.Also Read | ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’: Trump snaps at Netanyahu over Iran nuclear intelligenceCENTCOM has described Cooper’s message as a general security reminder. In the letter dated July 28, the admiral wrote, “The direct, unavoidable cost of this open-source intelligence could be measured in the lives of American service members and civilian residents in targeted Gulf countries.”Without describing the specific steps the US military would take, Cooper called on troops to “redouble our focus on operational security.”Jordan attack video fuels fresh operational security concernsThe warning to reportedly confiscate American military personnel’s mobile devices comes amid a video released online where US personnel purportedly were seen running for shelter during an attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on July 17. The strikes were carried out by the Iranian military in retaliation for the US army’s attacks in Tehran.FOX: “There are reports that Netanyahu is gonna talk to you about ongoing excavation at Pickaxe Mountain, construction vehicles paving new access roads, fortifications”TRUMP: “Well, I don’t need Bibi to tell me that. Bibi is telling me that because he wants me to stay involved”…— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 28, 2026The report added that the threat highlights the growing conundrum between the real-time news reporting of war that is often clubbed with satellite imagery and the US military restricting any information that could help Iran in attacking its bases and killing American troops.Why Jordan mattersJordan hosts key US military facilities.It serves as a logistics hub for operations in West Asia.Iranian-backed attacks have repeatedly targeted US positions in the region.Conflict toll mounts as fighting continuesSince the conflict with Iran began on February 28, at least 18 US troops have been killed, and more than 600 have been wounded.Story continues below this adJordan, early on Wednesday, intercepted missiles launched from Iran, hours after the US military announced that it decimated another barrage of missiles launched by Tehran against American forces in West Asia, ending a brief pause in fighting between Washington and Tehran.The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. 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