The U.S. government is investigating a leak of highly classified intelligence concerning Israel’s plans for a potential military strike against Iran. A U.S. official described the leak to CNN as “deeply concerning,” adding that it involves highly sensitive information about Israel’s military movements and preparations.

The leaked documents, dated October 15 and 16, began circulating online on Friday after being posted on Telegram by an account called “Middle East Spectator.”

The documents, marked top secret, are intended to be seen only by the U.S. and its “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing allies — Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. They detail Israel’s apparent preparations for a strike against Iran, including the movement of munitions and Israeli air force exercises involving air-to-surface missiles, in response to Iran’s missile barrage on Israel on October 1.

CNN has confirmed that one of the documents was compiled by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, while another was sourced to the National Security Agency.

The U.S. has not seen any indications that Israel plans to use nuclear weapons against Iran, although one of the documents implies that Israel possesses nuclear capabilities — a claim the country has never confirmed publicly.

The leak has triggered an investigation by the FBI, alongside the Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies, to determine who had access to the classified documents. The FBI declined to comment, and officials from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Pentagon also refrained from making any statements.

“If it is true that Israeli tactical plans to respond to Iran’s attack on October 1 have been leaked, it is a serious breach,” said Mick Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East and a retired CIA officer. Mulroy added that the leak could strain U.S.-Israeli relations and affect future coordination between the two countries, as trust is a crucial component of their partnership.

The leak comes at a critical moment in U.S.-Israeli relations, as Israel prepares for possible retaliatory actions against Iran. One U.S. official noted that while the leaked documents are “bad, but not horrible,” there is concern that more sensitive information could still be released.

It remains unclear whether the documents were hacked or deliberately leaked. The U.S. has been on heightened alert regarding potential Iranian hacking activities, especially after a report in August that Iran had hacked documents belonging to Donald Trump’s campaign.

This incident follows a major U.S. intelligence leak last year when a 21-year-old Air National Guardsman posted classified information on the social media platform Discord, straining U.S. relations with key allies such as South Korea and Ukraine.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)