Pentagon fires general it says leaked classified information to media

Hegseth cuts US generals and admirals by 20%, launches autonomous warfare command United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired the director of the Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia, for what the Pentagon says is severe misconduct. The move comes amid reports that the US had warned its allies of a possible renewal of strikes against Iran. A Department of Defense official told Al Jazeera on Thursday that Sylvia had been “meeting with journalists outside the Pentagon in order to leak classified information”. “Sylvia is the subject of an investigation for leaking classified information about the Iran war, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and more,” the official added.