On October 19, documents were posted online that appeared to reveal a top secret U.S. intelligence assessment pointing to Israeli preparations for a potential strike on Iran.
The White House expressed ongoing concern on October 21 after a set of U.S. intelligence assessments regarding Israel’s plans to strike Iran were leaked.
“We’re deeply concerned, and the President remains deeply concerned about any leakage of classified information into the public domain,” said National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby during a press call on Monday.
The documents, marked as top-secret classified, detail increased Israeli activity involving air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) systems and covert drone operations. According to the documents, this Israeli ALBM and drone activity likely indicates Israel’s intention to retaliate against Iran for the ballistic missile attack Iran launched at Israel on October 1.
It is uncertain whether the documents were leaked due to an external hack or an internal breach.
“We’re not certain how these documents ended up in the public domain. The Department of Defense is investigating this, and as they delve into it, they will try to determine how they were made public,” Kirby explained.
President Joe Biden is eager to receive any recommendations or actions resulting from the ongoing investigations, according to Kirby.
The White House spokesperson stated that while they are not aware of any further potential leaks, they cannot guarantee that more leaks will not occur.
“We are actively focused on understanding what occurred, how it happened, and how to prevent it from recurring. While doing so, we will remain vigilant for any possible future disclosures,” Kirby added.
The Israeli military has not responded immediately to inquiries about the leaked documents.
The timing and method of Israel’s potential retaliation for the October 1 missile attack by Iran are still unknown.
Following the Iranian missile assault, Biden mentioned discussions about potential Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities. When asked about supporting Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the president replied, “The answer is no.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran claimed responsibility for the October 1 missile attack on Israel in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike on September 27 that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC Gen. Abbas Nilforoushan. The IRGC also cited a blast in July that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during a visit to Tehran as a motive for the missile barrage.
While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for Haniyeh’s death, both Iran and Hamas have accused Israel. The IRGC has warned of further “heavy attacks” if Israel responds to the October 1 missile strike.
The Biden administration has affirmed Israel’s right to respond but has also urged caution.
The region has been engulfed in conflict since the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities, thousands of injuries, and over 250 abductions.
Please rewrite the following sentence:
“The cat is sleeping peacefully on the windowsill.”
“The feline is peacefully napping on the windowsill.”
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