March–April 2025 United States attacks in Yemen

In March 2025, the United States launched Operation Rough Rider, a large-scale campaign of air and naval strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. It marked the largest U.S. military operation in the Middle East during President Donald Trump's second term. The strikes began on March 15, targeting radar systems, air defenses, and ballistic and drone launch sites used by the Houthis to attack commercial shipping and naval vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The Houthi group began targeting international shipping in October 2023, following Israel's military response to the October 7 Hamas attacks. Claiming solidarity with Palestinians and aiming to pressure Israel into agreeing to a ceasefire and lifting its blockade of Gaza, the Houthis launched missiles and drones at vessels transiting near Yemen, and also fired ballistic missiles at Israeli cities, killing at least one civilian in Tel Aviv. In response, the U.S., United Kingdom, and a multinational coalition initiated Operation Prosperity Guardian, combining naval escorts with periodic airstrikes on Houthi military infrastructure.
By mid-March 2025, the Houthis had conducted more than 190 attacks on ships, sinking two, seizing another, and killing at least four seafarers. On March 18, President Trump warned Iran—longtime backers of the Houthis—that further attacks would be considered acts of aggression.
The Houthis are a Shia Islamist militant group located in Yemen, backed by Iran, and widely considered part of the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance. Emerging in the 1990s, they played a major role in Yemen's civil war, opposing the Presidential Leadership Council (SLC). The group took control over northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, since 2014,
The Saudi-led coalition, backed by the United States, has fought against the Houthi Movement for over a decade. Since the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023, they have continued to target commercial shipping in the Red Sea using missiles, drones, and explosive-laden boats, forcing many shipping companies to reroute vessels around southern Africa at higher costs, in an attempt to force a ceasefire in the Gaza War and an end to the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. Since November 2023, they have conducted over 190 attacks on shipping, sunk two vessels, seized another, and killed at least four seafarers, disrupting global trade. The Economist reported that Red Sea cargo shipments had decreased by 70% in volume as a result of these strikes. By requesting payments from shipowners in exchange for safe passage, the Houthis have reportedly turned their strikes into a business model, generating substantial revenue through blackmarket transactions and a form of maritime extortion.
The Houthis also conducted ballistic missile and drone attacks on Israeli cities, including Eilat and Tel Aviv, where a drone strike killed one Israeli. In response, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel, with support from a multi­national coalition, launched attacks in Yemen to disrupt their capabilities.
While other members of Iran's Axis of Resistance—including Hamas, Hezbollah, and Syria—suffered major setbacks, the Houthis have leveraged Yemen's geography to continue to fight against the Presidential Leadership Council. Following a cease­fire in Gaza-Israel in January 2025, they halted their attacks, but tensions resurfaced when they warned to resume strikes on targets in Israel if Israel disrupted humanitarian aid to Gaza again, which it blocked on 2 March. Following the aid block, the Houthis set a four-day deadline for border crossings to be reopened and aid to be allowed. The Houthis announced a resumption in attacks on 11 March after the demands were not met. The Houthis also fired a missile at a US Air Force F-16 and claimed to have shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone. President Trump redesignated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization in January 2025.
In February 2025, CBS News reported that President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had rolled back constraints on American commanders, allowing them to authorize airstrikes and special operations raids outside conventional battlefields. This broadened the range of people who could be targeted, with the Houthis being among the first under the new rule.
Weapons analysts have suggested that the Houthis may have acquired advanced drone technology, potentially increasing their operational range. Many of the militia's weapons are either manufactured in underground facilities or smuggled from Iran, their primary backer. Iran's enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels remains a major international concern. Meanwhile, economic hardship in Iran has fueled domestic unrest.
Trump authorized the attack plan, which had been in development for several weeks, with the final order issued on Saturday, 15 March. Select members of Congress received briefings from the White House the same day. The strikes, which US officials described as the largest military attack of Trump's second term, were carried out by fighter jets from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, stationed in the northern Red Sea, and United States Air Force attack planes and armed drones launched from regional bases. The BBC reported that the UK did not participate in the airstrikes but assisted in refueling.
At least 40 air raids took place targeting sites across Yemen, mainly the capital, Sanaa, and Saada Governorate. In Sanaa, eight strikes took place, including one on a residential area that killed 15 people and injured nine others. Other sites hit in the capital included the Sanaa International Airport, which houses a major military facility, with images showing black smoke billowing over the area, and the Geraf neighborhood of Shaoub district in northern Sanaa, where four strikes occurred. Al-Masirah and other local media reported airstrikes in Sanaa at 1:30 p.m. ET. Twelve strikes hit Saada, including one on a power station in Dahyan that caused a power outage. Military installations in Taiz were also struck. In Kahza, Ibb Governorate, Houthi media reported that 15 people were killed after American attacks hit two residential buildings. Eight strikes took place in Al Bayda Governorate, and further attacks hit Dhamar Governorate, Hajjah Governorate, and Marib Governorate.
The Houthis have described the attacks as a "war crime" and vowed retaliation. According to the Houthi-run health ministry, at least 53 people were killed, including five children and two women, and 98 others were wounded. The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) independently determined that at least 2 children were killed in the attack.
US national security advisor Michael Waltz claimed that the attacks killed several Houthi leaders and indicated that the US would consider hitting Iranian targets in Yemen.
Members of Trump's cabinet came under scrutiny for sharing details of the planned attacks over Signal, a commercially encrypted messaging app, leading to the United States government group chat leak. In the chat, Pete Hegseth said that the strikes had killed the Houthis' "top missile guy".
Airstrikes hit military headquarters, weapon storage facilities, and detection equipment used to locate shipping. Al-Masirah reported two US strikes in Al Hudaydah.
Saudi news outlet AlHadath reported that the security chief of Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi was killed in Saada.
The Houthis claimed that they targeted the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman using 18 ballistic and cruise missiles and a drone. A US official said that a US aircraft shot down 11 drones launched by Houthis towards USS Harry S. Truman and a missile fired by Houthis failed in flight and splashed down into the sea. Later, the Houthis said that they fired missiles and drones towards USS Harry S. Truman and its several warships for the second time.
Institute for the Study of War reported that US airstrikes in Al Jawf Governorate killed three Houthi officials, including Commander Zain al Abidin al Mahtouri in al Hazm.
Houthi-aligned Saba News Agency reported that two air raids took place in the port city of Al Hudaydah in the early morning, hitting a cotton ginning factory and the command cabin of the hijacked Israel-linked cargo ship Galaxy Leader. Saba also reported strikes on an under construction cancer facility in Saada, causing major damage.
Lieutenant General Alex Grynkewich, U.S. Joint Staff Director for Operations, said that over 30 targets in Yemen were struck since the bombing campaign began, killing dozens of Houthi militants.
On March 17, the United States attacked and killed "Abu Taha" Zain al-Abidin Ali Abdullah al-Muhturi, a senior official in the Houthi internal security department, in the headquarters of the government complex in the city of Al -Hazm, the center of Al Jawf Governorate, northeast of Sanaa..
In the night, Al Masirah reported that US airstrikes hit the Al-Habashi Iron Factory and sites south of the presidential compound in Sanaa. Al Masirah also reported a US attack on a government complex in the al-Hazm district of Al Jawf Governorate, on an iron factory in the Bajil District of Al Hudaydah Governorate, and on another government complex building in Al Hazm, Yemen.
On the night of March 17/18, the United States launched a wave of strikes targeting Houthi and IRGC targets, reportedly inflicting casualties on both.
Agence France-Presse was told by witnesses that three strikes were conducted in Saada in the late night.
Houthi media reported that at least 10 strikes were conducted by the US in Sanaa and Al Hudaydah. Strikes also took place in As Safra, Saada, which is reportedly one of the most militarized Houthi strongholds, containing training bases and weapon storage facilities. According to Reuters, trenches and bunkers that were built to house Houthi leaders following former president Joe Biden's airstrikes in Yemen were also struck, forcing the group's leadership into hiding. US strikes on Sanaa injured seven women and two children in a residential neighborhood. Al-Masirah also reported strikes in Al-Sawadiya, southeast of Sanaa. ISW reported airstrikes on the Houthi's Communications Ministry and Postal Authority in Sanaa.
Pro-Houthi media reported that funerals were held in Sanaa for 16 slain militants.
Al-Masirah reported that at least four US strikes hit the Al Mina district of al-Hudaydah, but later Houthi aligned media reported a total of five strikes in Al Hudaydah Governorate, including one hitting a cotton processing plant in Zabid, the cotton processing plant had allegedly been converted into a mines and explosive devices factory. US also conducted an airstrike near Safraa.
Yemen's Houthi-run health ministry said that a US airstrike hit a wedding hall which was under construction in Sanaa, injuring nine people, including women and children.
Yemeni media reported that US fighter jets conducted six air strikes in At Tuhayta district including strikes reportedly targeting a Houthi military base in al Fazah-al Tuhayta. ISW reported a total of seven airstrikes.
AlHadath reported that a prior US airstrike on a naval base in Al Hudaydah wounded eight people, including Mansour al-Saadi, the commander of the Houthi naval forces.
Saba News Agency reported that the US conducted three strikes on Hodeida International Airport. Three Houthi commanders were killed in airstrikes in Majzar, Marib Governorate. A Houthi military base and ammunition depot was targeted in a US airstrike in Al Jawf Governorate.
The Houthi-controlled Health Ministry reported that one person was killed and 13 others, including three children, were injured in a US strike on a residential building in the Aser area of western Sanaa. Strikes were also reported in Saada, Al Hudaydah, and Marib. The strikes in western Sanaa reportedly targeted a Houthi ammunition depot. AlHadath reported that the person killed was a senior Houthi official. Saba News Agency reported a US attack on the Port of Salif. Saba news agency also reported US bombings in Sahar district and Kitaf wa Al Boqe'e district. It also reported that the US conducted five air attacks in Marib Governorate.
According to Michael Waltz, the attacks killed key Houthi leaders, including their "head missileer", and also targeted their headquarters, communication nodes, arms factories, and unmanned surface vehicle production facilities.
Saudi media outlet AlHadath reported that a high-level Houthi official was killed in overnight US airstrikes in Sanaa.
Saba News Agency reported that US air strikes in the outskirts of Saada injured at least two people. Saba News Agency reported that a US strike hit a cancer hospital in Saada Governorate for the second time, destroying it. ISW reported a total of 12 airstrikes in Saada Governorate.
ISW reported that the US conducted at least 14 airstrikes against Houthi infrastructure and leadership.
The Houthi-linked Al-Masirah reported two US strikes in Saada Governorate. Al-Masirah reported US strikes in the Saada area, Al Salem district in Saada Governorate and Harf Sufyan district. Al-Masirah also reported more US strikes in Sanaa.
The Yemen Data Project reported that at least 25 civilians, including four children, were killed and at least 28 civilians were wounded in the airstrike campaign so far.
The Houthi-linked Al Masirah TV reported that four US attacks hit a stone quarry in the al-Arqoub area in the Khawlan district, killing at least two people and injuring two others. Al Masirah TV also reported that US strikes hit Sahlain and al-Salem areas of Saada Governorate. ISW reported at least 23 airstrikes in Yemen on 27 March.
Houthi media reported that a new series of US airstrikes throughout areas controlled by Houthis in Yemen, including neighborhoods in Sanaa, wounded at least seven people. It also reported that targeted areas included places where many of the Houthi leadership reside. ISW reported at least 44 airstrikes on March 28 including at least eight airstrikes targeting a Houthi military base, underground facilities and communication infrastructure in Jabal al Aswad, Amran Governorate as well as the Houthi military headquarters in Sanaa. Houthis published a list of 41 fighters that had been killed although the actual number of casualties was not disclosed. Several Houthi leaders were also reportedly amongst the dead. CENTCOM conducted eight airstrikes targeting three new Houthi military bases and ammunition depots in Sanhan District and also struck the Houthis' government complex in Hazm City.
Al Masirah reported that the US conducted at least 72 strikes, killing one person and injuring four others. United States Central Command said that it struck "Houthi positions".
Houthi media reported that US airstrikes hit Saada and Saada Governorate. It also reported that US airstrikes struck Sanaa, Sanaa Governorate and Al-Salem district. CENTCOM conducted an air strike on a vehicle on the N5 highway in al Tour, Hajjah Governorate killing two likely high ranking Houthi commanders.
ISW reported at least 62 airstrikes targeting Houthi infrastructure and leadership between 28 and 31 March.
The Houthi-run Health Ministry said that US strikes which started on 15 March killed 59 people and injured 136 others. It also said that those killed include women and children.
The Houthis reported US airstrikes around Sanaa—where one person was killed—and in Hajjah Governorate, where a strike on a pickup truck killed two and injured a child. Footage from Al-Masirah showed broken glass in homes but did not show the target of the strikes. The militant group reported that 12 people were wounded in the strikes. Al Masirah reported that the US conducted four strikes on Jadr area in the Bani Al Harith district, killing at least one person and injuring at least five others. Saba News Agency reported that US strikes in Yemen one day prior extensively damaged Saada Governorate. Al Masirah reported citing Yemeni Health Ministry that US strikes hit the Bani Qais area, killing two people and injuring a child. Al Masirah reported two US strikes on Kamaran.
Houthis claimed that air defences shot down a US General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper above Marib Governorate.
ISW reported a total of atleast 27 airstrikes targeting Houthi forces.
Al Masirah reported that US carried out 15 strikes in Saada Governorate, including Saada, Maiz district, Sahar district and the Jarban area in Sanhan and Bani Bahlul district. United States Central Command said that it targeted Houthi positions. Al Masirah also reported that US carried out two strikes on Mount Nab Shuaib in the Bani Matar district. US conducted three airstrikes at al Dailami Airbase near Sanaa International Airport and also struck Kamaran island. Houthi media also reported airstrikes in Hajjah and Hodeidah.
ISW reported at least 22 airstrikes on 2 April. The Associated Press reported that US strikes continued through the night into Wednesday, April 2. Houthi forces said that a strike targeted a "water project" in the Mansuriyah district, near Hodeida, killing at least four and wounding more. Houthi media also reported US strikes in Saada Governorate. Four airstrikes were conducted on Houthi training grounds in Mansuriyah District. Airstrikes were also conducted on Hudaydah Port and Kamaran. Al-Masirah reported that a US strike in the Ras Issa district of Al-Salif in the Al Hudaydah Governorate killed one person and wounded another person. Al-Masirah also reported a US strike in Saada.
ISW reported atleast 28 airstrikes targeting Houthi forces and infrastructure. Al-Masirah reported that US fighter jets conducted more strikes, including a strike which hit a communications network in Jabal Namah, in the Jablah district of the Ibb Governorate, killing one person. It also reported that US forces conducted two strikes in the Kitaf wa Al Boqe'e district, and a strike on the Kahlan area east of Saada. Houthi-linked media also reported a US strike on a car in Majz district reportedly killing the personal assistant of Houthi Interior Minister Abdulkarim al Houthi. CENTCOM also struck a vehicle carrying Houthi fighters near Saada. US forces struck Houthi positions near Taiz Airport.
Houthis claimed to have destroyed an American MQ-9 Reaper.
ISW reported at least 3 airstrikes conducted by CENTCOM. Al-Masirah reported that US figher jets carried out bombings in al-Asayid area of Kitaf wa Al Boqe'e district and in Saada targeting command and control sites. A US airstrike killed a Houthi Police supervisor in Al Hudaydah Governorate.
Al Masirah reported that US fighter jets conducted two air strikes on the Kahlan area east of Saada. Yemeni media reported that four additional US airstrikes hit Saada. Al Masirah TV also reported that a US strike hit a solar energy store in the Hafsin area, west of Saada, killing two one person and injuring at least four others. United States Central Command said that its strikes targeted Houthi targets.
Al Masirah reported that further US strikes in Saada led to two deaths and two injuries. Al Masirah reported that US forces carried out five strikes on Kamaran.
Keir Starmer's government confirmed that the United Kingdom had provided support for strikes in Yemen through "routine allied air-to-air refuelling".
A Saudi official has denied reports claiming Riyadh is providing logistical support for US attacks on Yemen. Speaking to Al-Arabiya, the official dismissed the allegations as "misleading" and stated that the kingdom is not supplying oil for the military operations. The dismissal comes after reports that the UK assisted in refueling US fighter jets over Saudi Arabian airspace, while the Houthis have vowed to take action "against any country that cooperates with the American enemy".
The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel provided intelligence from an individual in Yemen about a senior Houthi figure who would later be targeted in the March 15 airstrike, which was discussed in a group chat on Signal.
On 28 March, The New Arab reported that Houthi politburo member Mohammed Al-Farah accused UAE-allied separatist groups, including the Southern Transitional Council, of providing intelligence to the US military for their airstrikes, calling them "traitors" and stating that "the UAE's mercenaries stand out more than anyone else in their vileness and depravity." He threatened that if the separatist groups continued supplying intelligence to the US, his group would not only consider striking Mokha or Shabwa but could also strike Abu Dhabi and Dubai directly in response. The country was previously targeted by the Houthis in January 2022 in response to its involvement in the Yemeni Civil War.
President Donald Trump claimed the Houthis were waging a campaign of "piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones", and vowed to use "overwhelming lethal force" until Houthi attacks on shipping cease, declaring that "No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World."
Trump sent threats and claimed that: "Your time is up, and your attacks must stop, starting today. If they don't, hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before." He also warned Iran to end its support for the Houthis, promising to hold the country "fully accountable" for the actions of the militant group.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X that "Houthi attacks on American ships & aircraft (and our troops!) will not be tolerated; and Iran, their benefactor, is on notice", adding that "freedom of navigation will be restored".
On 17 March, Trump declared in a post that any future Houthi attacks would be viewed as direct actions by Iran, warning that Iran would be held accountable and face severe consequences.
On 27 March, a spokesman of the Air Force Global Strike Command confirmed that B-2 Spirit stealth bombers had been moved to an air base on the Diego Garcia atoll in the Indian Ocean. The base has been used in the past as a launch point for major operations in the Middle East, including the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the first significant deployment of B-2s to Diego Garcia since 2020, and there was media speculation that it is connected to the U.S. campaign in Yemen.
The B-2s were previously used over Yemen by the Biden administration on 16 October 2024, where it carried out strikes on weapons storage facilities, including underground facilities owned by the Houthis. Five hardened underground weapons storage locations were struck as part of the campaign against the Houthis for attacking international shipping during the Red Sea crisis. It was believed the strikes also served as a warning to Iran, demonstrating the stealth bomber's ability to destroy targets buried underground. RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory, Australia was used as a staging ground for the strikes.
The Houthi political bureau called the attacks a war crime. Deputy head of the Houthi media office Nasruddin Amer said that "Sanaa will remain Gaza's shield and support and will not abandon it no matter the challenges." Another senior Houthi member told Al Arabiya said that the attacks violated Yemen's sovereignty and would be met with a "painful and deterrent" response. On 18 March, the pro-Houthi Yemeni Armed Forces stated that "the US aggression will not deter the steadfast and struggling Yemen from fulfilling its religious, moral, and humanitarian duties toward the Palestinian people", and reiterated the Houthis' demand for Israel to lift the blockade against the Gaza Strip.
The UN-recognized Presidential Leadership Council urged the international community to strengthen cooperation and adopt a comprehensive strategy to counter the Houthi militias and block their funding. The PLC stated that US strikes signaled a shift in the international approach to the Houthis, emphasizing that their threat now extends beyond Yemen and its neighbors, endangering global security and stability.
On 17 March, tens of thousands of protesters marched in support of the Houthis in Sanaa, Saada, Dhamar, Al Hudaydah, and 'Amran.
On 16 March, the Houthis stated that they fired 18 ballistic and cruise missiles and a drone at USS Harry S. Truman and its carrier strike group. A US official claimed that 11 drones were intercepted by F-16 and F-18 fighter jets, while a Houthi missile malfunctioned and landed in the water. On the morning of 17 March, the Houthis claimed another strike on USS Harry S. Truman and surrounding warships, consisting of 18 missiles and a drone. On the morning of 18 March, the Houthis claimed a third attack on the aircraft carrier and surrounding warships, which US general Alexus Grynkewich said was hard to confirm since their attacks "were missing their targets by over 100 miles". A fourth attack on the aircraft carrier, consisting of cruise missiles and drones, was claimed by the Houthis on 19 March.
Following the attacks, commander-in-chief of the IRGC Hossein Salami stated that the Houthis acted independently from Iran, and warned that "Iran will respond decisively and destructively if they take their threats into action", referring to Trump's threats against the country. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the attacks a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that America had no authority over Iran's foreign policy. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, condemned the US strikes on Yemen as a "crime that must be stopped".
In a letter to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council, Iran's permanent representative Amir Saeed Iravani stated that Trump and other US officials have made "reckless and provocative statements" containing "baseless accusations" and threats of force against Tehran. He dismissed claims made by Trump regarding Iranian support to the Houthis, accusing the US president of attempting to "unlawfully justify acts of aggression and war crimes against Yemen". He warned that any aggression against Iran would have severe consequences, for which the US would be fully accountable, and urged the Security Council to take serious note of inflammatory statements and ensure compliance with the UN Charter.
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah issued a statement condemning the attacks. Iraq's Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba also condemned the attacks and vowed to respond.
United Nations secretary-general António Guterres called for a cessation of military activities in the region and warned that an escalation could destabilize Yemen and worsen the nation's humanitarian situation.
Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov called for an end to the strikes and urged for diplomatic talks to find a peaceful solution during a call with his US counterpart Marco Rubio.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called for dialogue and a de­ëscalation, while affirming China's position against a military escalation in the region.
North Korean Ambassador to Egypt, Ma Dong-hee, who is also accredited to Yemen, condemns the attacks as a US threat to regional and global order.
On 13 March 2025, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, was accidentally added to a Signal group chat called "Houthi PC small group", created by Michael Waltz for Trump administration officials to coordinate the attacks. The group included accounts that seemed to correspond to Marco Rubio, JD Vance, Tulsi Gabbard, Scott Bessent, Pete Hegseth, John Ratcliffe, Steve Witkoff, Susie Wiles, Joe Kent, and Stephen Miller. On the morning of 14 March, Vance messaged the group asking for the attacks to be delayed by one month, saying: "I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now" and that the attacks "risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices"; however, Vance was convinced by Hegseth to continue with the attack in March. Hegseth stated that the attacks were "not about the Houthis. I see it as two things: 1) Restoring Freedom of Navigation, a core national interest; and 2) Reestablish deterrence, which Biden cratered." Miller messaged at 9:35 a.m. ET that Trump had given approval for the attacks. On 15 March at 11:44 a.m. ET, Hegseth messaged operational details of the attacks, including information about targets, weapons used, and attack sequencing.
Some national security experts suggested that the coordination of the attacks over Signal likely violated the Espionage Act and the Federal Records Act. When questioned by reporters on 24 March, the day Goldberg's article about the leak was published, Hegseth responded, "Nobody was texting war plans, and that's all I have to say about that." Hegseth also described Goldberg as "deceitful and highly discredited".
On March 24, 2025, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY called for a Congressional investigation to be opened to understand how this operational security breach occurred. Jeffries called the incident "reckless, irresponsible and dangerous".
Following confirmation by a spokesperson for the National Security Council that the leaked group chat was real, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, "As President Trump said, the attacks on the Houthis have been highly successful and effective, President Trump continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz".
Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Republican Senator Roger Wicker responded to the leak stating, "We're very concerned about it and we'll be looking into it on a bipartisan basis."