US defence secretary says no signs that employees from his office investigated for Israel leak

There are no indications that any employees from the Office of the Secretary of Defence (OSD) are being investigated for the leak of US intelligence about Israel’s preparations to strike Iran, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday. Austin made his comment while speaking to reporters in Rome, Reuters has reported.

The FBI said on Tuesday that it was investigating the public disclosure of a pair of highly classified documents describing Israel’s preparations for a retaliatory strike on Iran.

Austin added that he did not have any indication that “any OSD official will be implicated as a part of this.” However, social media posts, without evidence, have singled out a US Defence Department employee as being under investigation for the leak.

The leaked documents appear to have been prepared by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, describing US interpretations of Israeli Air Force and Navy planning based on satellite imagery from 15-16 October. They began circulating last week on the Telegram messaging app.

Israel has been planning a response to a ballistic-missile barrage carried out by Iran on 1 October, Tehran’s second direct attack on Israel in six months, in response to Israel’s attacks against Iranian sovereign territory. The occupation state has intensified its genocide in Gaza and attacks on Lebanon, days after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

White House spokesman John Kirby said on Monday that it has not been determined whether the disclosure was a hack or an intentional leak by a US citizen with access to the sensitive intelligence.

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