By Smartencyclopedia News Desk with Agencies
Washington, D.C. — Asif William Rahman, a CIA official, has been charged with leaking classified U.S. intelligence detailing Israel’s preparations for a potential strike on Iran, according to recent reports from The New York Times. The classified documents, allegedly linked to Rahman, began circulating online more than a week before Israeli airstrikes were launched on October 26, drawing international attention.
Rahman, who had been working abroad for the CIA, was apprehended by the FBI in Cambodia and is expected to appear in federal court in Guam on Thursday. Last week, a grand jury in Virginia indicted him on two charges related to the unauthorized retention and transmission of national intelligence.
The leaked documents, reportedly sourced from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Security Agency (NSA), outlined Israel’s air force drills and preparations for a potential military operation targeting Iran, without specifying the exact targets. The leak occurred prior to Israel’s airstrikes, which followed a series of escalating events between the two nations. On October 1, Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel in response to targeted assassinations, including the high-profile deaths of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Two specific documents were reportedly leaked. One, titled “Israel: air force continues preparations for strike on Iran and conducts a second large-force employment exercise,” focused on Israeli air drills, while the other, “Israel: defense forces continue key munitions preparations and covert UAV activity almost certainly for a strike on Iran,” highlighted operations involving munitions and unmanned aerial vehicles. Both documents were intended for the Five Eyes intelligence network, an alliance comprising the U.S., U.K., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
The White House expressed “deep concern” about the unauthorized disclosure, which could impact intelligence sharing and trust within the Five Eyes alliance. Rahman’s specific connection to the NGA is not clear, but he reportedly held a top-secret security clearance with access to sensitive compartmentalized information, a typical requirement for CIA personnel handling classified material.
This case is the latest in a series of security breaches within U.S. intelligence agencies. Earlier this year, Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira received a 15-year sentence for leaking classified documents on the Ukraine war. Teixeira had posted the information on social media, raising questions about security controls within intelligence agencies and prompting discussions on potential reforms to prevent future leaks.
Rahman’s arrest has sparked significant debate over how U.S. intelligence agencies manage classified data in high-stakes geopolitical scenarios, especially with mounting tensions in the Middle East.