Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally directed Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate the Channel 12 news outlet over an alleged leak regarding the date on which the war with Iran would begin earlier this year, the channel reported Saturday.

The report came days after the Shin Bet issued a statement denying government pressure on Zini to probe the allegations after after Yaakov Bardugo, a right-wing pundit and Netanyahu ally from Channel 14, said he met with Zini to lobby for an investigation of Channel 12.

According to the network, Netanyahu ordered the Shin Bet probe despite Zini’s resistance, with the intelligence chief arguing that an investigation would be futile because thousands of officials had access to the operational plans and the alleged leak did not involve a narrowly held document.

Zini had last week defended his decision to lawmakers not to initially order a probe.

“The incident happened a long time ago; they asked to investigate it several months later. More than 4,500 people were privy to the secret [war plans], and there is no lead. An investigation of this kind, involving media outlets, requires the attorney general’s approval, and she is not expected to grant such approval,” Zini told lawmakers during a security cabinet meeting, the Ynet news site reported Thursday.

Zini nevertheless reportedly ultimately agreed to move forward with the investigation.

According to Bardugo, Channel 12 presenter Yonit Levy and its commentators were already “in full makeup” minutes after the opening........

© The Times of Israel