The United States is investigating the leak of a pair of highly classified intelligence documents describing Israel's preparations for a retaliatory strike on Iran, House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday.
The documents appear to have been prepared by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, describing U.S. interpretations of Israeli Air Force and Navy planning based on satellite imagery from Oct. 15-16. 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 Oct. 1, its second direct attack on Israel in six months. Israel has intensified its offensive in Gaza and Lebanon, days after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
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rime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson
(Photo: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images )
Asked about the leak of the documents during an interview with CNN, Johnson, the U.S. House of Representatives' top lawmaker, said an "investigation (is) underway and I'll get a briefing on that in a couple of hours," he said adding, "We are following it closely," Johnson added.
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Pentagon said it was looking into the leak reports.
The documents do not contain details or an overall picture of the targets of the attack, but rather general preparations for a long-range attack by the Air Force, which the intelligence professionals and the Revolutionary Guards Air Force could have assessed for themselves using the basic intelligence they already have.
The Pentagon did not officially confirm an investigation into the leak was underway but said they were aware of the reports. The documents appeared on a pro-Iranian Telegram channel called Middle East Spectator which had posted support for Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the regime, in the past.
Israeli officials said the leak was an embarrassment for the Pentagon just one year after dozens of classified documents about the Russian war on Ukraine, were leaked by a U.S. Air Force IT technician.
The leak shows how closely the Americans are watching Israel, despite the close alliance between the two nations and its revelation was the source of some discomfort and damage to the credibility of the American security and intelligence agencies.
Israeli officials said they expected the leaker to be found and prosecuted so that such events do not occur but added that the leak would not prompt Israelis to hide information from their American counterparts although, it may increase some mistrust already felt against Washington.
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