U.S. officials are investigating the apparent leak of two top-secret documents that reveal American spy agencies tracking possible Israeli preparations for an attack on Iran. The leaked documents, posted on the social media app Telegram, show Israel’s Air Force continuing preparations for a strike on Iran and conducting a large-force employment exercise in October 2024, as well as Israeli Defense Forces continuing key munitions preparations and covert UAV activity for a potential strike.
While the leaked documents are marked as “Top Secret,” the damage to national security appears to be limited, with U.S. intelligence agencies declining to comment on the specifics. The documents indicate that Israel has dispersed its medium-range ballistic missiles defensively to protect against Iranian attack and there are no indications that Israel plans to use a nuclear weapon on Iran.
The leak comes after a Massachusetts Air National Guard member pleaded guilty to posting top-secret documents on Discord in March, raising concerns about security lapses within the intelligence community. The leak of these documents has renewed calls for increased efforts to prevent future leaks and maintain national security. NBC News correspondents Courtney Kube, Monica Alba, Dan De Luce, and Ken Dilanian are covering the investigation into the leak and its potential implications for U.S.-Israeli relations and regional security.
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