US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth shared information about US air strikes on Yemen in a second private group on the Signal app, the BBC’s US partner CBS has confirmed with sources familiar with the messages.The messages, sent on 15 March, included flight schedules for American F/A-18 Hornets carrying out strikes on Houthi targets. The group included Hegseth’s wife, brother and personal lawyer.The developments come a month after the existence of a separate Signal group discussing sensitive information about US military operations was revealed. In a statement to the New York Times, which first reported the second group, the White House said no classified information was shared.Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, is a former Fox News producer and holds no official position within the Pentagon. Hegseth has previously been criticised for reportedly including his wife in meetings with foreign leaders.His brother, Phil, and personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore, both hold positions at the Department of Defense. But it is not clear why any of the three would require advanced warnings of sensitive US strike plans.Unlike the first Signal group, the second one – called “Defense | Team Huddle” – was created by Hegseth, according to the New York Times.The existence of the earlier Signal group was revealed by Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of the Atlantic magazine, who was accidentally included in it. Officials similarly used that group to discuss information relating to strikes in Yemen.The White House denied that classified information was discussed in that group either, although critics of Hegseth – including former US defence officials – question that. They say discussing such information in Signal groups could jeopardise US personnel carrying out military operations.The existence of the second Signal group is the latest controversy surrounding the head …
