Hours after highly classified US intelligence documents were leaked, revealing information about Israel's potential retaliatory military strikes against Iran, the US launched an investigation into the unauthorised release. Three US officials told The Associated Press that the documents assess Israel’s plans to attack Iran, while a fourth official confirmed the documents appear to be legitimate.

According to the report, the leaked documents came from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), a US agency responsible for analysing and processing imagery and data from American spy satellites. These documents provide a glimpse into Israel's military readiness and exercises as tensions rise in the Middle East.

The top-secret documents were uploaded to Telegram and were initially reported by CNN and Axios.

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This leak emerges at a delicate time, as the US has been encouraging Israel to scale back its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. The US has suggested that with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar no longer in the picture, Israel could pursue a ceasefire in Gaza.

Officials Investigate Source Of Leaked Classified Documents

The investigation is also looking into how the documents were acquired, whether through an intentional leak by a member of the US intelligence community or by another means, such as a hack, and whether any other intelligence information was compromised, according to one official. As part of the investigation, officials are working to identify who had access to the documents before they were posted, the official added.

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In response to the US reaction, the Telegram channel restated its denial of media claims, that it is ‘Iran-affiliated’. In a press release, the channel asserted, "We have no ties to the original source, who we believe to be a whistleblower within the US Department of Defense."