Israel Spy Threat
Pentagon Classifies Israel's Espionage Threat as 'Critical' Amid Iran War Tensions
Anonymous
The Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency has raised its counterintelligence assessment of Israel’s espionage threat against the United States to “critical,” the highest level, citing growing distrust within U.S. national security circles and increased concern about surveillance of senior Trump administration officials. According to reports, the assessment stems from tensions between the U.S. and Israel over the war with Iran, and it alleges Israel is seeking insight into internal U.S. deliberations and decision-making on military and diplomatic steps. Named or described as potential targets include Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Pentagon policy official Elbridge Colby, and Defense Department official Michael DiMino. The reporting says the judgment was influenced by claims that U.S. personnel in Israel discovered software meant to tap communications on their phones, though the underlying materials have not been publicly verified. Israel categorically denied the allegations, while the White House said the reports are false and NBC’s sources said the Pentagon circulated a detailed, multi-page assessment to support the change in threat level.
Key Points
1
The New York Times reported that while U.S. and Israeli intelligence operations have long been understood (and tolerated) as mutual spying, U.S. officials said Israel’s intensified push to learn U.S. positions in Iran talks “crossed a line,” with concerns focused on eavesdropping on American negotiators working on a peace deal with Iran.
2
The same New York Times report said the “critical” reassessment was based on a DIA report prepared with other military intelligence offices and covered earlier events “going back several years,” with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency contributing to the effort.
3
Israel’s embassy response included a direct rebuttal from a Washington spokesperson, saying: “Israel does not collect intelligence on American organizations, much less on U.S. government officials,” and adding that Israel’s intelligence efforts are directed “against its enemies, not its allies.”
4
A White House spokesperson’s dismissal went beyond simply calling the report false, telling NBC the story was “one and… coming from someone who knows nothing about what’s going on.”
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