In a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, top intelligence officials, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe and DNI Director Tulsi Gabbard, shifted responsibility for a potential leak of classified information regarding U.S. military strikes in Yemen to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Hegseth is accused of sharing sensitive details about the operation in a group chat, which was allegedly accessed by a reporter.

During the hearing, Gabbard and Ratcliffe denied that any classified intelligence was involved but deferred to Hegseth, who has the authority to classify such information. Hegseth reportedly shared operational details of the planned strikes, including targets, weapons, and attack sequencing, which could be classified due to their potential risk to U.S. personnel. The discussion took place on Signal, an encrypted messaging app not approved for classified communication.

Hegseth denied sending war plans and criticized the reporter who disclosed the information. The situation has drawn sharp reactions, with some Republicans placing the blame squarely on Hegseth for mishandling sensitive details. The controversy centers around the classification of the information and the use of unauthorized channels for such discussions.