Washington (Web Desk): US military investigators reportedly subjected around 50 officers and civilian personnel to polygraph examinations in August as part of an investigation into unauthorised disclosures about dwindling American weapons supplies during the war with Iran, according to multiple intenational media reports.
The examinations were reportedly aimed at identifying who had provided classified information to journalists about the strain on US munitions stockpiles.
According to The New York Times, the inquiry centred on members of the Joint Staff, which comprises senior military officials who advise the US president.
Investigators were particularly interested in reports highlighting shortages of long-range missiles and Patriot air-defence interceptors following the prolonged conflict with Iran.
CBS News reported that the FBI did not conduct the polygraph examinations. Instead, the Pentagon relied on its own internal investigative personnel.
The inquiry did not include every senior military commander, with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine reportedly among those who were not subjected to the tests.
The investigation comes as President Donald Trump has expressed strong anger over the disclosure of sensitive information.
However, CBS News said none of the officials tested were found to have failed the questions intended to establish whether they had passed information to members of the media.
Investigators were also examining a more serious possibility: whether someone with access to the highly restricted weapons data could have been working on behalf of a foreign intelligence service.
The concern arose because only a limited number of officials had access to detailed information about the US military's ammunition inventories.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined to discuss the specific personnel or investigative matters, saying the department treats unauthorised disclosures of classified information with the utmost seriousness and investigates them accordingly.
Trump, meanwhile, has rejected claims that the US is facing major weapons shortages. He has maintained that the country has “massive amounts” of military equipment and has dismissed reports about depleted stocks as false.
The president has described the disclosures as “treasonous statements” and “fake news”, while warning that those responsible would be pursued and could face lengthy prison terms.
The polygraph operation came after a series of separate leaks, including part of the Secretary of Defence Orders Book. That document reportedly revealed that six four-star commanders had formally objected to continuing large-scale military operations against Iran.
In their dissent, the senior officers warned that maintaining the current level of operations was becoming unsustainable and could weaken the United States' wider military readiness. Parnell condemned the disclosure, calling it a criminal act and a betrayal of the armed forces, while also arguing that significant portions of the media coverage were inaccurate.
The controversy has also drawn criticism from Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu. Questioning the Trump administration's description of Iran as a “failed state”, Lieu asked how Tehran could continue launching drones and missiles at US bases and American allies if its military capabilities had supposedly collapsed.
Speaking to US broadcaster MS Now, Lieu also pointed to the economic consequences of the conflict, asking why average gasoline prices in the United States had reached $4.12 a gallon.
He accused the White House of withholding the full picture from the public and called for greater clarity over how Washington intends to bring the prolonged conflict to an end rather than continuing an exchange of strikes.
At the same time, Axios reported that the Trump administration has begun working on a broader post-war strategy for the Middle East. The plan is still in its initial drafting phase but is expected to outline how Washington intends to approach the region once the war with Iran comes to an end.