The Washington Post reports that a "senior administration official" has confirmed that "two top White House officials" called at least six journalists and diclosed the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame, wife of Ambassador Joseph Wilson.

The operative's identity was published in July after her husband, former U.S. ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, publicly challenged President Bush's claim that Iraq had tried to buy "yellowcake" uranium ore from Africa for possible use in nuclear weapons. Bush later backed away from the claim.

...."Clearly, it was meant purely and simply for revenge," the senior official said of the alleged leak.

This is major because federal law prohibits the intentional disclosure of an operative's identity.

So, who could the two top officials be? Daily Kos thinks one is Ari Fleischer and the other may be Karl Rove. We haven't a clue, so stay tuned.

Update: Here is the law at issue: The Intelligence Protection Act (50 U.S.C. Sec. 421). Different sections of the act provide for penalties ranging from three years to ten years.

Update: Atrios on the import of the budding scandal: