Rep. King blames White House for new leak

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., Friday accused the White House of leaking a story that the United States is secretly providing aid to rebels in Syria.

In an interview with Fox News, King said the leaks put the lives of U.S. soldiers at risk and complicate relationships with U.S. allies Turkey and Yemen, Politico reported.

"To me, all the evidence points towards the White House, and that compromises us because there were two other major allies involved with us in that, and there are tremendous hard feelings and a sense of betrayal from them," he said.

The FBI is already investigating earlier leaks on U.S. efforts to contain Iran's nuclear program. King, chairman of the House Homeland Security, wrote FBI Director Robert Mueller Thursday, the day the Syria story broke, asking him to include it in the investigation.

"Obviously, the ongoing investigations have failed to deter further leaks," King told Mueller.

So far, the White House has acknowledged supplying only humanitarian aid for refugee relief and non-lethal assistance to the opposition.

Republicans have suggested President Obama and his aides have been leaking information to the news media to bolster the president's standing in an election year.