Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the deployment area of a US THAAD anti-missile system, March 6, 2019. Photo: Kobi Gideon / GPO.

i24 News – Israel has delayed its retaliation against the Islamic Republic, over the October 1 ballistic missile attack, after a Pentagon leak revealed Israeli plans, a British report claimed Thursday.

According to an unnamed intelligence source said to be familiar with Israeli deliberations quoted by The Times daily, “the leak of the American documents delayed the attack due to the need to change certain strategies and components. There will be a retaliation, but it has taken longer than it was supposed to take.”

Earlier in the week reports in US media identified the suspected leaker as Ariane Tabatabai, an Iranian American whose role as the Bureau Chief to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s aid for special operations granted her access to highly secret information. These reports were since disputed yet no official information is available on the suspect’s identity.