A major security breach has revealed that the US and UK are on a war footing in the Red Sea and that it was apparently JD Vance who has been urging officials to hold back.
The Iran-backed Houthis based in Yemen have been attacking both civil and military vessels in the Red Sea for years. Israel has also shot down Houthi missiles. In recent days, the UK has launched retaliatory missile strikes at key Houthi positions in Yemen. But could the military offensive have been much bigger, and will it be in the near future?
On March 15, a chat thread on the mobile app Signal, whether mistakenly or not, revealed detailed strategic plans to attack. Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, had been inexplicably added to the chat group. Unsure whether the group was genuine or fake, Goldberg kept the contents of what he read to himself until Monday, March 24, when it was revealed that, indeed, the fascinating conversation was genuine. The highly sensitive operational details came at a time when the US and UK were actively launching strikes against the Houthis.
Top-level US officials discussed plans for war
According to Goldberg, the text chain, now verified as authentic by the US National Security Council, contained specifics about forthcoming strikes, specific targets, the UK’s deployed weapons, and the sequence of attacks. Top national security officials, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and vice president JD Vance were all part of that chat group.
Just two hours after details surfaced on the chat on March 15, 2025, the UK began airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, raising questions about the inclusion of Goldberg on operational security. While it remains unclear whether the leaked plans were officially classified, such information is typically safeguarded to protect personnel and mission integrity.
Who urged rethink on going to war with Houthis?
One of the most fascinating parts of the thread was from JD Vance, who typed, ‘I think we are making a mistake,’ suggesting that beyond the UK strikes, original military attack plans went much further. He continued, ‘3 per cent of US trade runs through the Suez. 40 per cent of European trade does. There is a real risk that the public doesn’t understand this or why it’s necessary. The strongest reason to do this is, as POTUS said, to send a message.’
Later in the conversation, Vance continues, ‘I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now. There’s a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices. I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself. But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc.’
Whether or not the US and UK are about to enter an all-out war with the Houthis and enter Yemen is yet to be seen, but for now it does appear that it was JD Vance who played the role of the adult in the room.
