Leaked US analysis of Israel’s Iran attack plan under investigation
The United States began investigating after threat actors released classified documents containing the American judgment on Israel’s plans to attack Iran.
The documents appeared on the Telegram channel Middle Eastern spectator last Friday (October 18), according to White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
“The President remains deeply concerned about any leak of classified information into the public domain. This is not supposed to happen, and it’s unacceptable when it happens,” Kirby said.
It is currently unclear whether the documents were leaked as a result of a cyberattack or a leak; However, military analysts said the leaked documents shared similarities with previously disclosed documents, such as the wording of headings reading “Top Secret” and bearing the acronym for “Foreign Government Intelligence,” FGI.
The classification marks also suggest that they were reserved for the Five Eyes alliance.
The two leaked documents reportedly contain a US analysis of Israeli military activity, based on satellite images.
The data was analyzed by the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on October 15 and 16. According to the files, the Israeli military carried out covert drone activities, which were “almost certainly” intended for a strike against Iran.
They also “manipulated” air-launched ballistic missile (ABLM) systems called Golden Horizon and Rocks.
Over the weekend, House Speaker Mike Johnson said an investigation into the leak was underway.
“The leak is very worrying. There [are] serious allegations have been made there, an investigation is underway, and I will have a briefing on this in a few hours,” Johnson told CNN during his State of the Union. “We are monitoring this closely.”
“I spoke to my friend Bibi, Prime Minister Netanyahu, yesterday to encourage him,” he said. “I believe the United States must stand unequivocally with its ally there…we are on the precipice…of a new era of security and freedom for Israel. And I think we are very close.
In response to Iran’s recent barrage of missiles, Israel has been planning for several weeks how to attack Iran, with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant saying the response would be “lethal, precise and surprising.”
