Washington -- The Pentagon on Wednesday denied reports that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth leaked classified information about planned US strikes against Yemen’s Houthi group in a group chat on the Signal messaging app.

“This is absolutely false. No classified information was shared & the IG (inspector general) report supports that conclusion,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on the US social media company X’s platform.

The Pentagon’s inspector general has concluded that Hegseth “created risks to operational security” by sharing sensitive details about the operation, according to several US media reports.

Fox News reported that the IG found that Hegseth’s messages “could have resulted in failed U.S. mission objectives and potential harm to U.S. pilots,” citing sources familiar with the classified report.

“There is zero evidence that supports this conclusion. None. But there’s a ton of proof to the contrary, not the least of which is the flawless execution & success of Operation Rough Rider,” Parnell said in a separate post, using the codename for the series of US attacks on Houthi targets between March and May.

A classified version of the IG report has been provided to the Senate Armed Services Committee, while an unclassified, redacted version is expected to be released Thursday, Fox News added.

Parnell said the report is "a total exoneration" of Hegseth and proves that "no classified information was shared."

Hegseth, in an X post, echoed the spokesman's remarks, adding the "Houthis (were) bombed into submission."

The probe centered on Hegseth’s use of the encrypted messaging app in March, when Trump administration officials discussed operational timelines for the strikes.