Leaked U.S. intelligence documents allege to outline how Israel plans to strike Iran soon, according to multiple reports.
Israel is expected to retaliate against Iran after the terror-supporting nation launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles into Israeli territory on Oct. 1; most of those missiles were intercepted. The timing and nature of Israel’s plan to retaliate against Iran have been shrouded in mystery, until now — U.S. intelligence documents that were leaked publicly in recent days revealed Israel’s preparatory actions ahead of the attacks, according to several reports.
It isn’t clear how the documents were leaked or who was behind the move to release them publicly. An investigation has been opened to determine how the documents were leaked, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson confirmed Sunday, according to Reuters.
“If it is true that Israeli tactical plans to respond to Iran’s attack on Oct. 1 have been leaked, it is a serious breach,” Mick Mulroy, former CIA officer, told CNN. “Future coordination between the U.S. and Israel could be challenged as well. Trust is a key component in the relationship, and depending on how this was leaked that trust could be eroded.”
The documents were highly classified and only meant to be seen by the U.S. and a handful of other Western nations, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, according to reports. The intelligence was created by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
According to the documents, Israel may be planning to conduct surface-to-air missile strikes as well as airborne strikes. Israel is reportedly positioning its military assets in preparation for the possible strike, according to several reports.
The possible strike against Iran has been somewhat of a contentious issue between the Biden-Harris administration and the Israeli government. While the administration has agreed that Israel has a right to respond, it has openly said that it would not approve if Israel strikes Iranian nuclear facilities, and has advocated against going after the country’s oil sites.
Israel’s current war in the Middle East began with Hamas, which invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and killed roughly 1,200 people. Since then, the conflict has broadened and drawn in other actors such as Hezbollah and Iran.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Featured Image Credit: Flickr_-_Israel_Defense_Forces_-_188th_Brigade_Training_Day,_March_2008.jpg: Israel Defense Forces from Israel
