Pentagon Polygraphs 50 Officials in Hunt for Iran War Leaks
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — WEB DESK: US government investigators have reportedly subjected around 50 military officers and civilian employees on the Pentagon’s Joint Staff to polygraph tests as part of an expanded investigation into leaks of sensitive information about the Iran war and dwindling US munitions stocks.
The tests were conducted in August after a series of media reports raised concerns about shortages of critical US weapons, including long-range missiles and Patriot air-defence interceptors, according to officials familiar with the investigation.
Investigators questioned personnel about whether they had disclosed classified information to journalists and whether they had shared details about reduced US weapons inventories. The Joint Staff, which supports America’s most senior uniformed military leadership, includes roughly 1,500 to 2,000 officers and officials, according to reporting on the investigation.
The inquiry represents an unusually broad use of polygraph examinations in the Pentagon’s effort to identify the source of sensitive disclosures. However, reports indicate that the tests have not produced a clear identification of the person or people responsible for the alleged leaks.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined to discuss specific personnel or investigative details. The Defense Department has said it treats leaks involving classified national-security information as a serious matter and investigates such disclosures accordingly.
The investigation comes as the continuing US-Iran conflict puts additional pressure on American weapons inventories. Reuters reported this week that depleted munitions are among the constraints facing Washington as the Trump administration weighs its military strategy toward Iran.
President Donald Trump has expressed anger over reports concerning US munitions levels and disputed suggestions that America’s arsenal is dangerously depleted. According to reports, Trump has also called for severe consequences for officials found responsible for leaking classified information.
Concerns over operational security have expanded beyond traditional classified leaks. The US military has also begun disabling mobile advertising identifiers on government devices amid fears that commercially available location information could potentially be used to track American personnel and forces in the Middle East.
The polygraph investigation underscores the Pentagon’s concern that disclosures about weapons inventories could reveal strategically valuable information during an active conflict. For now, however, no individual has publicly been identified as responsible for the leaks, and the investigation remains ongoing.
