The White House has confirmed that President Joe Biden is "deeply concerned" about a leak involving classified US government documents that reveal intelligence assessments regarding Israel's potential plans to strike Iran. The documents, posted on Telegram last week, have raised alarms in Washington, though it remains unclear how they were made public—whether through hacking or an internal leak.
White House spokesperson John Kirby stated on Monday that the president is troubled by the release of sensitive information, calling it "unacceptable." The leaked documents reportedly include satellite imagery analysis of Israeli military operations and suggest that Israel may be preparing for an attack on Iran. These operations included the handling of air-launched ballistic missiles and covert drone activities, though the assessment, prepared by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, could not definitively predict the scale of the planned action.
Several US media outlets have reported that the documents appear authentic, citing anonymous officials. The files initially surfaced on the Telegram channel Middle East Spectator, which publishes news with a focus on the region and often aligns with Iranian perspectives, though it denies connections to the Iranian government.
US authorities are now investigating how the documents were leaked. House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed on Sunday that a probe is ongoing and that he will receive a briefing on the issue.
Amid these developments, Biden remains optimistic about managing tensions between Israel and Iran. Last week, he expressed hope that there is an "opportunity" to prevent escalating violence between the two nations, though he has not detailed any new diplomatic efforts to address the situation. Biden has previously opposed Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and oil facilities, and in response to questions about his understanding of Israel’s plans, he confirmed that he is aware of both the strategy and timing.
The revelations have angered Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reacted strongly to Biden’s comments, suggesting that anyone with knowledge of Israel's attack plans should be held accountable for any consequences. Iranian military sources have also warned that their response to any Israeli strike would be "decisive" and beyond Israel’s expectations.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has expanded sanctions against Iran’s oil and petrochemical sectors following missile launches against Israel earlier this month, further intensifying the complex relationship between the two nations.
No comments:
Post a Comment