The United States has initiated an investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of highly classified intelligence documents revealing Israel’s strategy for retaliating against Iran. The top-secret documents, dated October 15 and 16, were initially posted on the Telegram messaging platform by an account known as “Middle East Spectator” before spreading rapidly across the internet last Friday.
These documents, marked for viewing by only the US and its close intelligence-sharing allies – the “Five Eyes” group consisting of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK – detailed Israel’s military preparations. When questioned about the leak during a CNN interview, House Speaker Mike Johnson, the top lawmaker in the US House of Representatives, confirmed the investigation, stating, “An investigation (is) underway and I’ll get a briefing on that in a couple of hours.” He added, “…We are following it closely.”
While the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have yet to publicly comment, the Pentagon has confirmed it is investigating the leak reports. The New York Times, citing unnamed officials, reported that the documents are authentic but likely represent only a fraction of the information the US possesses regarding Israel’s planning.
The first document, titled “Israel: Air Force Continues Preparations for Strike on Iran and Conducts a Second Large-Force Employment Exercise,” describes activities involving ballistic and air-to-surface missile handling. The second document, titled “Israel: Defense Forces Continue Key Munitions Preparations and Covert UAV Activity Almost Certainly for a Strike on Iran,” focuses on Israel’s deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, in its preparations.
Last week, when asked about the timing and nature of a potential Israeli attack on Iran, US President Joe Biden stated that he has a good understanding of Israel’s plans. However, he also expressed hope for a resolution to the ongoing conflict between the two nations, suggesting an opportunity to end the cycle of attacks and counter-attacks.
The leak of these classified documents raises significant concerns about national security and the potential impact on the delicate relationship between the US and Israel. The investigation is expected to determine the source of the leak and the extent of the compromised information. The implications of this incident are likely to be felt for some time to come as the US government works to assess the damage and prevent future leaks.