FBI probes alleged leak of classified Israel attack documents

The FBI announced yesterday that it is investigating the leak of purportedly classified documents detailing Israel’s preparations for its retaliatory strike on Iran, Anadolu reported.

“The FBI is investigating the alleged leak of classified documents and working closely with our partners in the Department of Defence and Intelligence Community,” the bureau said in a statement. “As this is an ongoing investigation, we have no further comment.”

It comes in the wake of the White House confirming on Monday that the Pentagon is conducting its own investigation into the matter, with authorities still unsure whether the documents entered the public domain as a result of a hack or a leak.

“The President remains deeply concerned about any leakage of classified information into the public domain. That is not supposed to happen, and it’s unacceptable when it does. So, he’s deeply concerned about that, and you can rest assured that he will be actively monitoring the progress of the investigative effort to figure out how this happened,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.

The documents, dated 15 and 16 October, began circulating on Friday after being shared on the Telegram channel, Middle East Spectator. The leaks reportedly came from a source within the US intelligence community.

One of the documents, reportedly compiled by the Defence Department’s National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, indicated that Israel’s plans involve relocating munitions.

Another document outlines Israeli Air Force exercises involving air-to-surface missiles, also believed to be in preparation for a strike on Iran.

Asked by reporters on Friday if he has a “good understanding” of what Israel’s response to Iran’s 1 October ballistic missile attack would entail, and when it would occur, US President Joe Biden said: “Yes and yes.”

Iran carried out the attack in retaliation for the assassinations of Hamas’ former political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, while he was on an official visit to Tehran in July and the killing of Hezbollah Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, in Beirut last month.

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