HOUTHIS PROTEST against air strikes (Wikipedia).

Plans for military strikes on Yemen by U.S. forces were shared in a secure message app that included the secretary of defense and a journalist.

The slip in security was reported online by The Atlantic, whose editor-in-chief (Jeffery Goldberg) was part of the “text chain” about the planned action.

According to the Associated Press, the material discussed – considered “highly sensitive information” – included details about planned strikes against Iran-supported Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The AP reports that two hours after the text chain, the U.S. started a series of aerial attacks against the targets in Yemen.

It’s not yet been explained how Goldberg was included in the text chain in Signal, but Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called Goldberg “deceitful” and a “discredited so-called journalist.”

Court asked to stop “interference”

A request has been made to the U.S. Supreme Court by the White House to block a ruling requiring the rehiring of thousands of probationary federal workers fired recently.

UNITED STATES Supreme Court building (Flickr/Geoff Livingston).

The New York Times is reporting that the request is aimed at a court order by a federal judge in California, but the larger issue is that federal judges have issued more than 40 temporary restraining orders and injunctions against various initiatives of the Trump administration, most of them executive orders issued by President Donald Trump.

Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris wrote that the California court was interfering with the powers of the executive branch “on the flimsiest of grounds and the hastiest of timelines.”

Also in the news: The Federal Bureau of Investigation has created a task force to combat “domestic terrorism” by persons vandalizing Tesla vehicles, according to United Press International … Wildfires are raging out of control in North and South Carolina as those states are hit by high winds, low humidity and little rain, USA Today is reporting.

Weather: A little bit cooler

After a week or so in the spring-like 70s, daytime temperatures in our West Orange County cities will sink to the 60s by midweek. The forecast calls for a daytime high of 75 with an overnight low of 57 on Tuesday with morning fog and afternoon sun. Wednesday’s forecast calls for a high of 66 (55) under mostly cloudy skies. Thursday will be somewhat similar at 67 (52) with morning clouds and afternoon sun. On Friday we can expect 68 (58) and partly cloudy skies.