F.B.I. Probes Leak of Classified Documents on Israeli Plans Against Iran
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) is currently conducting an investigation into a significant leak of highly classified documents that seemingly outline Israel’s strategies for retaliating against Iran following a missile attack that occurred earlier this month. The agency officially confirmed this development on Tuesday.
The leaked documents were generated by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (N.G.A.), an agency tasked with analyzing imagery and information garnered from American spy satellites. As a vital component of the United States intelligence community, the N.G.A. engages in sensitive operations that support clandestine military actions.
The contents of these documents are not only highly classified but also provide crucial insights into satellite imagery interpretations, highlighting a potential Israeli strike on Iranian targets. These documents began to circulate on the Telegram app starting last Friday. U.S. officials have indicated that they are still unaware of the source from which the documents originated and are actively searching for the initial leak’s origin.
In an official statement, the F.B.I. remarked, “We are collaborating closely with our partners in the Department of Defense and the broader intelligence community. As this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot provide further details at this time.” The bureau’s responsibilities include investigating breaches of the Espionage Act, which prohibits the unauthorized retention of defense-related information that could potentially harm U.S. interests or assist foreign adversaries.
Israel has openly expressed its intention to retaliate for a barrage of missiles launched by Iran on October 1. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps disclosed that this missile attack was initiated in response to the targeted assassinations of key figures, including Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, in Lebanon; Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, who was killed in Tehran in July; and an Iranian military commander. U.S. officials have assessed that an Israeli counter-strike could occur in the imminent future.