Asif Rahman, a former CIA analyst, pleaded guilty on Friday to leaking classified Pentagon documents that revealed Israel’s preparations for a retaliatory strike on Iran. The leak delayed Israel’s planned operation, according to security officials in both the U.S. and Israel.
Rahman, 34, was arrested after an FBI investigation linked the leaked documents to his workstation at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The highly classified documents detailed aerial drills, weapons movements at an Israeli air base and preparations for a possible strike on Iran. These included a "large-scale deployment drill," aerial refueling drills and handling of advanced air-launched ballistic missiles (ALBM), including at least 16 "Golden Horizon" missiles and 40 "Rocks" or ISO2 missiles.
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Leaked Pentagon documents describe IDF's preparations for attack on Iran
(Photo: from X, IDF)
The documents were leaked on October 17 via a Telegram channel called Middle East Spectator, shortly after Iran fired nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel in response to assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders. At the time, the Biden administration was urging Israel to refrain from attacking Iranian nuclear or energy facilities.
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Rahman, a Yale University graduate, faces up to 20 years in prison under the Espionage Act. However, a plea deal under negotiation could limit his sentence to six and a half years. Federal prosecutors reportedly agreed to the reduced penalty after Rahman took responsibility for his actions and expressed a desire to resolve the case.
Rahman’s sentencing is scheduled for May 15. Prosecutors indicated they might recommend further leniency if Rahman continues cooperating with authorities.
During Friday’s court session, it was revealed that Rahman had printed additional classified documents while working in Virginia in spring 2024. He took the documents home, copied them and shared them with unauthorized individuals. He also deleted over 1.5 gigabytes of sensitive data, including Middle East reports, in an effort to cover his tracks after the leak. Prosecutors said Rahman acted on ideological motives and remains a risk for further disclosures.
Rahman was arrested in November while planning to travel to Thailand and later return to his family near Washington, D.C. At his hearing, he shook hands with prosecutors and waved to his wife and family before being escorted into custody.