US investigates leaked intelligence on Israel's retaliatory strike on Iran

The United States is currently investigating a significant leak of highly classified intelligence regarding Israel’s planned retaliation against Iran, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

A US official described the leak as “deeply concerning” and confirmed the authenticity of the documents, which surfaced online after being posted on Telegram by an account named “Middle East Spectator,” Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The leaked documents, dated October 15 and 16, are marked as top secret and are designated for review only by the US and its “Five Eyes” allies: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. They detail Israel's preparations for a potential strike against Iran, including the movement of munitions and Israeli air force exercises involving air-to-surface missiles, as reported by sources at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency.

The investigation is focused on determining who had access to the Pentagon documents, with any significant leak triggering an automatic investigation involving the FBI, the Pentagon, and US intelligence agencies. The FBI has declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.

This leak comes at a particularly sensitive time in US-Israeli relations, following a missile barrage from Iran on October 1, which has prompted Israel to prepare for a military response. One document even suggests that Israel possesses nuclear weapons, a claim the country has traditionally refrained from confirming publicly. However, it also indicates that the US has seen no signs suggesting Israel intends to use a nuclear weapon against Iran.

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East and retired CIA officer Mick Mulroy stated, “If it is true that Israeli tactical plans to respond to Iran’s attack on October 1 have been leaked, it is a serious breach.” He added that such a breach could challenge future coordination between the US and Israel, emphasizing the importance of trust in their relationship.

The National Security Council referred inquiries to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Pentagon, both of which declined to comment. CNN has also reached out to the National Security Agency for further information.

As concerns grow about the potential implications of the leak, one US official noted, “These two documents are bad, but not horrible. The concern is if there are more.” The circumstances surrounding how the documents became public remain unclear, with no indication of whether they were hacked or leaked intentionally. The US is already on high alert for Iranian hacking activities, following intelligence reports in August that Iran had hacked documents from Donald Trump’s campaign.

By Khagan Isayev