A CIA official has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly leaking secret U.S. intelligence documents that revealed Israel’s military plans to strike Iran. The man, identified as Asif William Rahman, was apprehended in Cambodia and is set to appear in court in Guam soon. This story broke after The New York Times reported the news, which was later confirmed by other media sources.
According to reports, Israel had been preparing a major attack on Iranian targets after a previous strike from Tehran. Last month, classified documents with sensitive details about Israel’s planned moves started appearing on a Telegram channel. These documents were believed to come from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), a U.S. agency responsible for gathering and analyzing satellite and aerial images. The documents allegedly contained precise information on Israeli military activities, movements, and predictions on when and where the strike could happen.
The U.S. government classifies this type of information as “compartmented” — meaning only highly cleared officials can access it. Rahman, who reportedly held top-level clearance, is accused of betraying this trust. His leak could have put Israeli soldiers and intelligence operations at risk, as well as possibly endangering relationships with America’s closest intelligence allies in the ‘Five Eyes’ alliance: Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S.
The leak came at a tense time, with rising conflicts across the region. Iran’s initial attack on Israel had come in response to a series of assassinations, which Iran claimed Israel was responsible for. The back-and-forth escalations led to more clashes, particularly as Israel launched operations in Gaza, triggering further unrest with the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
Rahman has been charged in Virginia with two counts of willfully transmitting national defense information. He could face severe punishment if convicted, as leaks of this kind are treated as serious breaches of national security. This incident comes on the heels of another high-profile case, in which former U.S. Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira was sentenced to 15 years in prison for leaking classified documents about the war in Ukraine.
With Rahman’s arrest, another intelligence scandal has unfolded, raising questions about insider threats and the U.S. government’s struggle to keep top secrets secure in a time of global turmoil.
