The United States is currently investigating the leak of two classified documents, both of which involve confidential intelligence about Israel preparing to attack Iran. American officials familiar with the situation have indicated that the government’s initial investigation is focusing on determining who had access to these documents.
According to reports from CNN, several American officials knowledgeable about the matter have revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is leading the investigation, collaborating with investigators from the Pentagon and intelligence agencies.
In recent days, investigators have been diligently working to authenticate the documents and identify individuals who may have had access to them.
The focus of this investigation suggests that investigators are exploring the possibility that the leak of these documents was likely the result of insider activity within the government, rather than from a cyber intrusion.
Two sources familiar with US intelligence have stated that both documents were accessible to a wide range of individuals, with at least one being scanned from official printed briefings. This could provide a crucial starting point for investigators: similar to other federal agencies, the Department of Defense tracks employees accessing and printing classified documents. Individuals involved in printing these documents may be relatively limited, as per these sources.
However, officials have emphasized that the investigation is still in its early stages and no conclusions have been drawn.
The FBI has declined to comment on the matter.
It appears that the two leaked documents were produced by two intelligence agencies under the US Department of Defense – the National Security Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Given the sensitive nature of US-Israel relations amidst the issues in the Middle East, the leak of these documents has deeply unsettled American officials.
The documents are dated October 15th and 16th, and were first posted on a Telegram account on social media last Friday before circulating online.
White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby informed reporters during a White House press briefing on Monday (October 21) that the Biden administration is “deeply concerned” about the leaking of these documents.
Kirby stated that President Biden is “very concerned” about the exposure of classified information to the public domain, commenting, “This should not happen, and if it happens, it is unacceptable.”
“He (Biden) will actively oversee the progress of the investigation to understand how this occurred,” Kirby added.
He also mentioned that American officials have held discussions with their Israeli counterparts regarding the leak, although specific details of the conversations were not disclosed.
On Sunday, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson also expressed that the leak was “very worrisome.”