The United States is probing a leak of intelligence purporting to show Israel’s plans to retaliate against Iran, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced on Oct. 20.
The first document is titled “Israel: Air Force Continues Preparations for Strike on Iran and Conducts a Second Large-Force Employment Exercise, 15–16 October 2024.”
It states, citing imagery analysis, that Israel’s air force “continued air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) handling, covert UAV operations, and conducted a second large-force employment (LFE)” between Oct. 15 and Oct. 16. The exercises were at Hatzerim Airfield in southern Israel.
The Israeli Air Force also conducted an LFE exercise on Oct. 13, according to the document, which was shared with the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada—who, along with the United States, are known as the “Five Eyes.”
The second document is titled “Israel: Defense Forces Continue Key Munitions Preparations and Covert UAV Activity Almost Certainly for Strike on Iran, 16 October 2024.”
It echoes what is in the first document.
Israel is expected to retaliate against Iran after it launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel earlier this month following Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah is an Iranian-financed terrorist group based in Southern Lebanon. Israel has not said when it will retaliate other than it will do so at its own choosing.
Last week Israel eliminated the Hamas terrorist group leader Yahya Sinwar. Sinwar was the mastermind behind the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, during which Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people and took about 250 hostage.
Israel’s leadership has repeatedly stressed that it will not let Iran’s missile attack go unanswered.
In a statement, the Pentagon said it is aware of the reports of the documents but does not have further comment.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the leak of the two documents.
The documents first appeared online on Oct. 18 via a channel on Telegram, claiming that they had been leaked by someone in the U.S. intelligence community, then later the Defense Department. The information appeared entirely gathered through the use of satellite image analysis.
