John Kirby, White House national security spokesman, mentioned that the Biden administration remains unsure whether the classified information was leaked or hacked. He also stated that there is currently no indication of any more documents similar to this one being made public.
In Short
- Uncertainty remains at the White House regarding the origin of the documents, whether they were leaked or hacked.
- Israel is continuing to transfer military resources as part of its intentions to target Iran.
- A Telegram channel favored by Iran-backed militias has surfaced with the initial dissemination of documents.
A White House spokesperson mentioned on Monday that President Joe Biden expressed significant worry regarding the unauthorized disclosure of classified papers detailing Israel’s readiness for a possible counterstrike against Iran.
John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, stated that the Biden administration remains unsure whether the classified information was leaked or hacked.
He mentioned that there is currently no indication of any more documents like this being leaked to the public.
Kirby mentioned that the Pentagon is currently under investigation, a fact that was verified by US officials on Saturday.
Kirby expressed grave concern over the unauthorized release of classified information to the public, emphasizing the President’s steadfast unease regarding such breaches. The occurrence of such leaks is deemed unacceptable and should not transpire.
The records are credited to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, highlighting Israel’s ongoing positioning of military resources for a potential retaliatory strike following Iran’s aggressive ballistic missile assault on October 1.
The information could be shared among the members of the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance, which includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
The classified documents, labeled as top secret, surfaced online on Friday via the Telegram messaging app and rapidly circulated across Telegram channels widely followed by Iranians.
The experts from SITE Intelligence Group, a firm specialized in monitoring and assessing online threats posed by extremist organizations, traced the publication of the documents to a Telegram channel known for its popularity among militias supported by Iran.
The platform featured content shared by an unidentified individual known for regularly posting what was claimed to be confidential information. This user alleged they had obtained access to the leaked documents, even mentioning having distributed some of the material to the Iranian military.
At a crucial moment in the Middle East, Israel is contemplating its reaction to Iran’s assault, marking a significant release.
Rita Katz, who is the co-founder and executive director of SITE, emphasized the potential for even the tiniest element, such as the disclosure of this seemingly harmless document, to trigger significant shifts in various directions.
Rep. Mike Turner, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee from Ohio, expressed his concern about the unauthorized disclosure of information, particularly noting the critical situation in the Middle East at present.
Turner emphasized on the BBC that if the information was indeed leaked, it constitutes a criminal act and possibly espionage, even though hacking cannot be ruled out as a potential source.
Describing its location as Tehran, the Telegram channel has been known to share memes portraying Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and content endorsing the self-proclaimed “Axis of Resistance” supported by Tehran, comprising militant groups in the Middle East backed by the Islamic Republic.
A document, similar in style to materials from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency that were leaked by Jack Teixeira, an Air National Guardsman who admitted in March to disclosing highly classified military documents pertaining to Russia’s activities in Ukraine and other sensitive national security information, was one of the two documents.
The United States is encouraging Israel to capitalize on the removal of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and push for a ceasefire in Gaza. Additionally, the US is urgently advising Israel against escalating military actions in northern Lebanon to avoid sparking a broader regional conflict.
Israel’s leadership has made it clear on multiple occasions that they are determined not to allow Iran’s missile assault to go without a response.
Gavin Wilde, a senior fellow in the Technology and International Affairs Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, has mentioned that the inquiry regarding the document leak might be prolonged while officials search for digital or tangible evidence to uncover the source of the leak and assess its potential impact on information security and intelligence cooperation with US partners.
With his experience at the National Security Council, Wilde expressed confidence in the investigative process, stating, ‘I believe they will uncover the truth in due time.’ He highlighted the advancements in the intelligence community regarding tracking the digital trail of documents, including monitoring who accessed a specific file, its sharing frequency, and recipients.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, refrained from discussing any modifications implemented by the government to enhance the protection of classified information following the Discord leak.
She mentioned that Biden expressed full trust in the Pentagon, Justice Department, and intelligence community after the recent unauthorized leak.
Since the Discord leak and the prosecution of former NSA contractor Reality Winner, national intelligence agencies have made efforts to enhance cybersecurity measures.
Shawnee Delaney, previously an officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency and currently the CEO of Vaillance Group, a private threat analysis firm, points out that accounting for human behavior can present a more complex challenge.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Delaney emphasized that cybersecurity transcends technology; it is intertwined with human behavior, which can be notoriously unpredictable.
The Pentagon and NSA representatives acknowledged being informed about the incident but refrained from providing additional comments.
