New details emerged Saturday night on Kan News following the Shin Bet's unusual announcement that it had opened an investigation into the leak to Channel 12 News regarding the timing of Israel's strike on Iran.
During one of the discussions on the matter, Shin Bet chief David Zini reportedly said, "The leak does not justify a Shin Bet investigation due to the number of people involved, the level of severity, and the likelihood of solving the case."
The request to investigate the leak originated from the Prime Minister's Office in March, during Operation Roaring Lion.
Zini chose to delay action because he believed the case did not meet the criteria required for opening a classified information leak investigation-a procedure the Shin Bet reportedly undertakes only seven to eight times a year.
For months, Zini reportedly sought to avoid opening the investigation. Ultimately, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who holds the legal authority to order such a probe, instructed Zini to launch the investigation.
As a result, about a week ago, the Shin Bet's legal adviser informed Zini that, in light of the Prime Minister's explicit directive, there was no alternative but to open the investigation.
According to the report, this sequence of events explains the apparent shift in the agency's official position after Zini had previously told cabinet ministers that the Shin Bet lacked sufficient tools to investigate the matter.