The leaks we missed

June 25, 2025

A recently leaked intelligence document from October 2024 revealed Israel's extensive military preparations for striking Iran, including previously unknown assets like the RA-01 stealth drone and deployment patterns of missiles and aircraft. Despite containing significant revelations about US surveillance of Israel and confirmation of Israel's nuclear capabilities, mainstream media largely ignored the contents of the leak, focusing instead on identifying the whistleblower. The leaker, Asif Rahman, was sentenced to three years in prison just days before Israel launched Operation Rising Lion against Iran, which has since killed over 639 people, mostly civilians.

Who is affected

Iranian civilians, with over 639 people (mostly civilians) killed in Israel's Operation Rising Lion
People in the Middle East region under surveillance from Israeli drone operations
Asif Rahman, the alleged leaker sentenced to 37 months in prison
The broader public denied full information about military preparations and operations
Journalists and potential whistleblowers experiencing a "chilling effect" following Julian Assange's case

What action is being taken

Israel is conducting military operations against Iran under "Operation Rising Lion"
The US has joined the conflict by striking three Iranian nuclear sites
US President Donald Trump has ordered residents of Tehran to evacuate
Media outlets are focusing on identifying whistleblowers rather than reporting on leak contents
Some advocacy groups are working to protect sources and facilitate secure leaking of information

Why it matters

The leak revealed Israel's military capabilities and intentions before they struck Iran
It exposed that the US conducts surveillance on Israel while simultaneously providing military support
The documents confirmed Israel's possession of nuclear weapons
The pattern of focusing on whistleblowers rather than leak contents prevents public awareness that might alter the course of military actions
The case demonstrates how the "chilling effect" on national security reporting may be endangering lives by allowing military escalations to proceed without sufficient public scrutiny

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Global Voices