CIA official accused of leaking Israeli plans for Iran strike

A CIA official has been charged over the leak of classified US intelligence detailing Israel’s intended retaliatory actions against Iran, according to The New York Times.  

Asif William Rahman, who worked abroad for the CIA, was napped by the FBI in Cambodia and will appear in a federal court in Guam on Thursday. 

Rahman was indicted in Virginia last week on two counts related to the unlawful retention and transmission of national intelligence.  

In October, the White House expressed that it was “deeply concerned” over the unauthorised release of classified documents, reportedly originating from the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Security Agency (NSA).  

Among the NGA’s responsibilities, it gathers and analyses intelligence from US spy satellites for the Department of Defense. 

The documents outlined Israel’s preparations for a potential strike on Iran but did not specify exact targets.  

The leak preceded a series of Israeli airstrikes, launched in response to nearly 200 ballistic missiles fired by Iran on 1 October.  

Iran’s missile attack was in retaliation for a series of targeted assassinations by Israel, including the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and an Iranian commander in a strike in Beirut in late September, as well as the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.

The first leaked document, titled “Israel: air force continues preparations for strike on Iran and conducts a second large-force employment exercise”, detailed Israeli air force drills. 

The second, titled “Israel: defence forces continue key munitions preparations and covert UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] activity almost certainly for a strike on Iran”, highlighted munitions and UAV operations believed to be intended for such a strike. 

The leaked documents were reportedly intended for restricted circulation solely within the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which comprises the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. 

While Rahman’s precise connection to the NGA remains unclear, court documents show that he held a top-secret security clearance with access to sensitive compartmentalised information, standard for many CIA staff dealing with classified data.  

Rahman’s legal representation has also not been confirmed but his arrest follows the sentencing of Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira to 15 years in prison for leaking sensitive information, drawing attention to recurring security breaches within US intelligence. 

Earlier this year, Teixeira pleaded guilty to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defence information.  

His charges related to the unauthorised sharing of highly classified military documents on the war in Ukraine, which he posted on the social media platform Discord.