Updated: New in SpyWeek: Cowboys and Indian Spies

A leak on Israel's Iran plans, Kash Patel as future DCIA, more China hacks, Sinwar inrigue, mystery drones, Indian assassins and an FBI v CIA Senate race lead this week’s roundup

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CIA-Israel-Iran: “U.S. officials are extremely concerned about a potentially major security breach after two alleged U.S. intelligence documents about Israel's preparations for an attack on Iran were published by a Telegram account affiliated with Iran,” Axios reported Saturday. “A Telegram channel by the name ‘Middle East Spectator’ claimed on Friday that it had received documents from a source in the U.S. intelligence community about Israel's preparations for an attack on Iran,” wrote Barak Ravid. The leak could be designed to disrupt Israel’s plans, but it could also serve to widen the wedge between the Biden administration and regime of Benjamin Netanyahu, which seems to have hidden its plans from Washington, prompting U.S. intelligence to spy on Israeli military installations. DoD is investigating.  

TRUMP’S CIA: MAGA enthusiast Kash Patel is high on the list of candidates to run the CIA if Donald Trump wins a second term in office, The New York Times reports.

Patel, a former low-level public defender, prosecutor, and House Intelligence Committee staffer, is a bombastic, self-styled “Deep State” wrecking ball, a role he served in the last Trump administration.

“Should Mr. Trump win re-election, Mr. Patel has been mentioned alongside many others as a potential CIA director, attorney general or, if he fails Senate confirmation, a top job on the National Security Council,” the Times’ Elizabeth Williamson wrote in a lengthy Oct. 14 profile.