"I was in part, asking because these articles seem to imply more than what actually may have happened."
Every media source has bias thus we need to read what they write with an awareness of bias.

""intervention" would be an act that subverts American's free will. In my opinion, hacking would qualify, propaganda does not."
Would you apply that same judgment to, as mentioned to another commenter, the Bush admin's misinformation campaign about Saddam's regime making WMD in the run up to invading Iraq?

"This happens a lot in law enforcement and is generally considered acceptable"
Perhaps I misunderstand you but it seems you are providing a qualified acceptance of "the ends justify the means."  This seems questionable given how US journalists, even with 1A protection, are denied similar means regardless of the ends.

"All of this is from "secret reports by unnamed sources" which I don't find to be credible."
Even though both party's members of Senate and House Intelligence committees do?