The White House has conveyed that President Joe Biden is “deeply concerned” about the unauthorized release of U.S. intelligence documents concerning Iran and Israel.
John Kirby, spokesman and coordinator of strategic communications for the National Security Council, stated on Monday that officials are uncertain about how these sensitive documents came to light.
During a press briefing, Kirby indicated that the administration lacks information regarding the circumstances of the document leak, which reportedly includes details about Israel’s military response plans towards Iran. He emphasized, “We do not know whether the documents were disclosed by individuals or if they were the result of hacking or cyber infiltration.”
Kirby confirmed that the U.S. Department of Defense is actively investigating the leak of these classified documents and is collaborating with Israeli counterparts in the inquiry. He reassured reporters that there is currently no indication that additional intelligence documents will be made public.
“We’re not sure exactly how these documents got out on social media,” Kirby explained, adding that the Department of Defense is diligently working to ascertain the leak’s origins. “At this point, we have to wait for the investigation to be concluded,” he noted.
While Kirby acknowledged the country’s focus on a diplomatic resolution following the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya al-Sinwar, he claimed the U.S. has seen an increase in aid to Gaza, despite the United Nations halting humanitarian assistance to the region. He insisted this aid increment is still inadequate.
Additionally, Kirby mentioned that U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein is in Lebanon as part of diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a cease-fire.
This development follows Iran’s missile response to recent actions by Israel. The Associated Press reported on Sunday that U.S. officials are currently investigating the unauthorized release of highly confidential documents detailing Israel’s intelligence operations regarding Iran, with one official affirming the documents’ authenticity.
The leaked documents, which supposedly originate from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, suggest that Israel is repositioning its military resources in anticipation of further rocket attacks, a claim corroborated by intelligence shared among members of the “Five Eyes” alliance—comprised of the U.S., U.K., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
Officials are looking into how the documents were accessed and whether a breach by a member of the American intelligence community occurred or if the information was obtained through other methods such as cyber espionage.
This investigation may also encompass unauthorized access to additional classified materials.
The Pentagon has acknowledged awareness of the reports but provided no further details. A senior Israeli official expressed to Axios that Israel takes the breach of sensitive information “very seriously.” Recent claims by CNN and Axios noted that Israel is preparing for a potential military operation in response to ongoing tensions, citing evidence from documents shared via a Telegram channel.
