The leaks that led to the article

Leaks about a military buildup are only possible if there's an actual military buildup. Unless the leaks are false. Is there any indication the information is false?

Military buildups can also happen without leaks.

Leaks can be a strategy to turn a military buildup into political/psychological leverage.

The strategy could be buildup + leak. The leak by itself isn't the strategy unless it's giving false information.

The buildup requires much more effort than the leak. So in the buildup + leak strategy, the vast majority of effort goes to the buildup, not the leak.

Or the actual missiles hitting boats.