The U.S. government is investigating the unauthorized release of classified documents detailing Israel’s military preparations to strike Iran, according to three American officials who spoke to The Associated Press. A fourth official confirmed the documents’ authenticity. The leaked documents, reportedly from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, suggest that Israel is actively repositioning military assets to respond to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on October 1.
The leak first appeared online Friday on a Telegram channel reportedly based in Tehran, with a history of sharing content supportive of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the country’s “Axis of Resistance,” a term used to describe Iran-backed militant groups throughout the Middle East, Iran’s capital.
The documents, classified as top secret and intended for sharing within the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance—comprising the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—first surfaced on the Telegram messaging app and were reported by CNN and Axios on Saturday. The officials discussed the matter on the condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation.
The AP adds the investigation is focusing on how the documents were leaked, whether it was an intentional act by a member of the U.S. intelligence community or the result of a cyber breach, and whether additional intelligence information may have been compromised. Investigators are also working to establish who had access to the documents before they were posted online.
The documents, apparently obtained via satellite image analysis, resemble previous leaks associated with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Specifically, they share similarities with material disclosed by Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, who pled guilty in March to leaking classified documents on Russia’s war in Ukraine and other sensitive information.
The Pentagon acknowledged the reports of the leaked documents but declined to provide further comment. The Israeli military also did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The investigation into the source of the leak is ongoing, with officials assessing the potential impact on U.S. and allied intelligence operations.