Were the two classified U.S. documents, published by the Middle East Spectator on Oct. 18, leaked in order to sabotage Israeli plans for striking Iran? “The classified U.S. documents were leaked intentionally to prevent Israel from attacking Iran,” according to a quote attributed to Knesset Member Tali Gottlieb (Likud), circulated on social media.
Former Pentagon official Stephen Byren makes that same argument in an article posted to his Substack page, “Weapons and Strategy.” “Whoever leaked it to Tehran was warning that an Israeli strike was imminent. It also told the Iranians the type of weapons that would be used and probable targets, the latter being mainly Iranian air defense sites and long range radars,” he wrote.
How do we know this, Byren asks? “The two documents provide highly detailed information on Israeli Air Force preparations for a strike and describe in detail activities at three Israeli air bases subject to massive U.S. surveillance,” he writes. “It carefully identifies the types of cruise missiles Israel was preparing, namely a system called ROCKS ... and Golden Dawn.... The report also said that the platform carrying these missiles would be the F-15I, not Israel’s F-35 ‘Adir’ jets. It also indicates the refueling tankers and surveillance platforms Israel would use.”
Bryen also declares that the second document reports “that the U.S. has not detected any preparations by Israel of its Jericho II missiles and concludes any nuclear strike by Israel is unlikely.” The Jericho II is believed to be a critical part of Israel’s nuclear deterrent.
