According to CNN, the US is conducting an investigation after top secret intelligence documents related to Israel's plan to attack Iran were leaked online.
The leak comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, with the Jewish state vowing to respond to a barrage of missiles launched by Tehran earlier this month.
On October 18, two documents were posted on the Telegram channel Middle East Spectator, a channel that monitors events in the region and is critical of Israel.
The first document, apparently prepared by the Pentagon's National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) "continued significant munitions preparation and covert UAV activity on October 16, almost certainly aimed at attacking Iran."
The second document contains a detailed report on a major Israeli Air Force exercise that took place on October 15-16.
An unnamed US official confirmed the authenticity of the documents to CNN and described the leak as “disturbing.” The official also said the investigation is focused on determining who had access to these top-secret documents and posted them on social media.
The Telegram channel that released the documents claimed on October 19 that it had received them from “an anonymous source on Telegram who declined to reveal their identity.” The channel also claimed to have no connection to the original leaker.
On October 1, Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel in response to the war in the Gaza Strip and the assassinations of senior members of pro-Palestinian militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
According to the IDF, most of the rockets were intercepted by the defense system. However, a Palestinian in the West Bank was killed by a rocket fragment.
Israel has not disclosed details about how and when it will retaliate, although some reports say the IDF is planning to attack military targets in Iran, rather than nuclear or oil facilities.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel would "make a final decision based on its national interests".
