Ariane Tabatabai, a senior staffer in the office of U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, has been identified as the source behind the recent leak of classified documents detailing Israel’s military preparations for a potential strike on Iran. According to reports, Tabatabai allegedly leaked highly sensitive information about Israeli air force exercises, missile deployments, and covert drone activities. The documents were shared on a Telegram channel and revealed Israel’s response plans following Iran’s October 1 missile attack on Israeli territories. The leaked documents, attributed to the U.S. Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, have sparked concerns among U.S. and Israeli officials about the implications for U.S.-Israel relations. The documents detailed Israel’s military movements, including air-to-surface missile drills, covert drone activity, and refueling exercises, ahead of a possible strike in response to Iran’s actions. Due to the sensitive nature of the intelligence, it was reportedly accessible only to the U.S. and its “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing allies. The FBI is now investigating how the documents were leaked, with the Pentagon and other intelligence agencies expressing deep concern over the incident. Israeli officials have called the leak an embarrassment for the Pentagon and are expecting swift action to be taken against Tabatabai. The leak comes just a year after another high-profile breach of classified documents relating to the Russia-Ukraine war, marking another major security failure for the U.S. Despite this breach, Israeli officials have assured that intelligence-sharing between the two nations will continue, albeit with heightened caution. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)