US Forces Targeted Using Commercial Location Data
US forces deployed to war zones have been targeted using commercially available location data, according to reports from military officials. This revelation comes as a letter shared with Reuters by US Senator Ron Wyden confirms the first official confirmation that US forces had been targeted in an active war zone.
The letter, sent on April 14, was received by US Central Command (Centcom), which has jurisdiction over the Gulf region where US forces are engaged against Iranian military forces. Centcom stated it had “received multiple threat reports concerning adversary exploitation of commercial location data to target or surveil US personnel in theater.”
According to Wyden and a bipartisan group of legislators, this disclosure highlights how global surveillance economy is shaping modern warfare. The lawmakers warned that commercial location data can be exploited by adversaries to target attacks such as missiles, drones, and roadside bombs, as well as for counterintelligence purposes.
The Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment on the matter. Despite efforts from lawmakers to obtain more information from military officials about the reported targeting, their attempts have been unsuccessful.