Israel’s planned retaliatory strike on Iran has been delayed due to the leak of classified Pentagon documents detailing the specifics of the operation, British daily The Times reported on Thursday, citing an intelligence source familiar with Israel’s preparations.
The leak, initially shared on a pro-Iran Telegram channel and later on X (formerly Twitter), included details about Israel’s plans to use ballistic missiles against Iran, helping Tehran anticipate the attack patterns.
April attack on military installation in Isfahan, Tehran attributed to Israel
The report indicates that the leak forced Israel to revise its plans and develop an alternative strategy. “The leak of the American documents delayed the attack due to the need to change certain strategies and components,” the source said. “There will be a retaliation, but it has taken longer than it was supposed to take.”
Israel had been preparing to target Iranian Revolutionary Guard military installations but had assured the U.S. that its response would not involve Iran's nuclear or oil infrastructure. The planned strike would be a retaliation for Tehran’s October 1 attack, which saw over 180 ballistic missiles fired at Israel.
The leaked documents, classified as “top secret” and dated October 15 and 16, were verified by U.S. officials. They detail Israeli military preparations, including a large-scale air force deployment exercise and an aerial refueling drill.
The documents also refer to Israeli handling of air-launched ballistic missiles, with at least 16 missiles, codenamed "Golden Horizon," and 40 others called "ISO2" or "Rocks," being prepared for use, the latter a surface-to-air missile developed by Israeli defense contractor Rafael.
According to Rafael’s website, the Rocks missile is designed to hit targets from long distances, traveling at supersonic speeds, and is capable of penetrating well-protected underground sites.
The documents were compiled by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) and detailed Israeli military movements, including missile exercises and air force maneuvers in preparation for a potential strike on Iran. The absence of accompanying satellite images in the leaked files has led to speculation about how the information was obtained and disseminated.
The Pentagon has denied reports that Ariane Tabatabai, a U.S. Defense Department official of Iranian heritage, was behind the leak, as had been suggested in an earlier Sky News Arabia report. Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder confirmed that Tabatabai was not under investigation, while emphasizing that the department is fully cooperating with the inquiry into the classified documents.
The leak has heightened tensions between Israel and the U.S., with former Israeli intelligence officials warning of the broader implications. "The real harm is that it shows the U.S. is struggling to keep secrets," a former Israeli official told CNN.
As part of the ongoing investigation, U.S. authorities are examining who had access to the leaked documents, which were circulated on social media and picked up by major news outlets like CNN.
The leak comes amid growing concerns about Iran’s activities in the region, including its support for Hezbollah and proxy militias in Iraq and Syria. Israel has been preparing for potential military action, particularly following reports earlier this year of a similar Israeli strike that allegedly destroyed an air defense radar near Isfahan after an Iranian attack in April.
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