US investigates leak of top secret documents on Telegram

The documents, dated October 15 and 16, began circulating online on October 18 after an account called Middle East Spectator posted them on Telegram, CNN reported. The documents are marked top secret, with markings indicating that only the United States and its “Five Eyes” allies, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, can view them.

The documents describe preparations that Israel appears to be making to attack Iran. One of the documents, believed to be from the US Department of Defense’s National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, outlines plans for Israeli munitions movements. Another document from the National Security Agency outlines Israeli air force exercises involving air-to-surface missiles, also believed to be in preparation for an attack.

CNN does not directly quote or show the documents.

US officials have called the leak “very concerning”. The investigation is looking into who had access to the leaked Pentagon documents, according to a US official. By law, any such leak would trigger an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pentagon and US intelligence agencies.

According to analysts, the leak of this confidential document occurred at an extremely sensitive time in US-Israel relations and will certainly anger Washington's allies in the Middle East.

The Pentagon, FBI, and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency have not commented on the information.

It is not yet clear how the documents became public, whether they were stolen or leaked intentionally.

Last year, a major leak of US intelligence also strained the country's relations with allies and partners, including South Korea and Ukraine.