The Israeli news website Walla reported on Saturday that American intelligence documents discussing Israel’s plans for an attack on Iran have been leaked.
According to the report, citing senior American officials, the leak occurred on a Telegram account linked to Iran.
“The leak occurred on Friday when the Middle East Spectator Telegram channel claimed to have received documents from a source in the American intelligence community about Israeli preparations for an attack on Iran,” the report said.
The documents included “a report by the Visual Intelligence Agency of the US Department of Defense, which was distributed within the US intelligence community three days ago, and which details operations carried out in recent days at several bases of the Israeli Air Force, including the transfer of advanced weaponry which, according to the report, was intended for an attack on Iran,” according to Walla.
These officials reportedly expressed deep concern over the leak, considering it very dangerous.
— ❗️🇺🇸/🇮🇷/🇮🇱 EXCLUSIVE: One of our sources in the U.S. intelligence community has shared with us an extremely sensitive top secret U.S. intelligence document, dated October 15-16, detailing Israeli preparations for an extensive strike inside Iran: pic.twitter.com/pH53YiJ390
— Middle East Spectator (@Spectator_MENA) October 17, 2024
“The leak also points to a very serious security breach within the American intelligence community, which resulted in top secret classified information reaching elements identified with Iran,” the report added.
According to the US officials, however, the leak “will not affect Israel’s operational plans”.
A senior Israeli official stated that the country’s security establishment is aware of the leak and is taking it seriously.
‘We are Independent Journalists’
For its part, the Middle East Spectator rejected in a press statement on Sunday the claim that the platform is “Iran-affiliated.”
“Middle East Spectator is a tight-knit team of fully independent journalists,” the statement added.
The platform also said that they “have no connection to the original leaker, and we are not aware of his identity” and that “the documents first appeared in a private Telegram group with just over 7000 members, where the leader was likely present”.
Our official statement regarding the leak of two classified U.S. documents. pic.twitter.com/LgSd4sShJr
— Middle East Spectator (@Spectator_MENA) October 19, 2024
‘We Know How and When’
US President Joe Biden recently stated that he knows how and when Israel will respond to Iranian missile attacks, though he declined to provide further details.
In response to Biden’s comments, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said today that anyone with knowledge of when and how Israel will attack Iran “will be held accountable.”
Earlier this week, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority (KAN) reported that an agreement had been reached on the method, timing, and force of Israel’s response to Iran’s recent missile attacks.
The plan is now reportedly awaiting approval from Israel’s security cabinet.
According to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the decision to attack Iran will ultimately be made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, with the cabinet reviewing the overall strategy.
NBC News previously reported that US officials believe Israel has already identified targets for its response, which could occur during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
The report follows the largest missile attack on Israel by Iran on October 1, in which 200 ballistic missiles were launched.
Iran said the attack was in retaliation for the assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, as well as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and Iranian General Abbas Nilforushan in an Israeli raid in Beirut on September 20.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
