Israel’s attack plans leaked: Alleged US intelligence leak appears to show IDF plans to attack Iran

WASHINGTON — Documents purporting to show a secret US intelligence meeting about Israel’s preparations for a possible retaliatory strike against Iran appeared on social media platforms this week. It is unclear what impact the potential leak might have on any Israeli military planning for a possible attack on Iran or on Israeli-American relations.

US officials declined to comment when contacted by ABC News about the possible leak of highly sensitive material.

ABC News was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the documents, which appear to show specific details about the types and numbers of munitions Israel may be preparing for a potentially large-scale strike against Iran in retaliation for allusion to the regime of almost 200 at the end of September. ballistic missiles aimed at Israel.

The documents posted on social media have markings that would indicate they come from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the US agency that collects, analyzes and distributes intelligence obtained from aerial and satellite images . ABC News does not directly quote or display the documents.

Aerial satellite imagery analysis is just one of the many intelligence-gathering tools the US intelligence community uses to make strategic assessments or risk assessments.

“We are investigating these reports,” a senior U.S. defense official told ABC News when asked about the alleged intelligence documents.

The Defense Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a spokesman for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment when contacted by ABC News.

If the posts turn out to be authentic, it would mean a major breach in intelligence, reminiscent of the massive leak discovered last year after hundreds of classified documents were shared on the social media platform Discord.

Earlier this year, US Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira pleaded guilty to six counts of withholding and knowingly transmitting national defense information related to the Discord leaks.

Axios first reported the leaked documents.

“If it is true that Israel’s tactical plans to respond to Iran’s Oct. 1 attack were leaked, it is a serious violation,” said Mick Mulroy, a security fellow and national defense for ABC News, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense. for the Middle East.

“Everyone who has access to this information has an obligation to keep it secure,” Mulroy said. “The men and women of the IDF who would carry out this mission could be compromised because of this, future coordination between the US and Israel could also be called into question.”

“Trust is a key component in the relationship and depending on how that trust was leaked it could be eroded,” he added.