By Steve Neavling
The FBI has launched an investigation into the leak of highly classified U.S. intelligence documents detailing Israeli military plans for a potential strike on Iran, the bureau confirmed on Tuesday.
The leaked materials, prepared last week, contain sensitive data from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which monitors satellite imagery, and the National Security Agency, which specializes in communications surveillance, The Wall Street Journal reports.
In a statement, the FBI said it is “working closely with our partners in the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community.”
The bureau is responsible for investigating breaches of the Espionage Act, which prohibits the mishandling or unauthorized disclosure of national defense information, as well as other classified information-related laws.
The leaked documents detail Israel’s preparation for a possible attack on Iran, specifying the military assets and types of munitions that could be employed. The documents suggest the strike may occur without further warning. However, they do not identify any specific targets in Iran.
The materials surfaced on the Telegram messaging platform last Friday in the form of screenshots. Former intelligence officials speculate that the leak likely came from an insider with access to the classified files rather than through a cyberattack on U.S. government systems.
Despite the “top secret” designation, the information was likely accessible to a range of personnel across multiple agencies, they noted.
John Kirby, the National Security Council’s spokesperson, said Monday that the U.S. government is still uncertain about the source of the leak. He added that there is no evidence of additional classified documents being compromised beyond the two that appeared online.
