US Raises Israeli Spying Threat to Critical Level
The Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency has elevated its assessed threat level on Israeli espionage from high to critical, a move that signals deepening fractures between Washington and Tel Aviv over the trajectory of the Iran conflict.
NBC News first reported the change on Friday, with The New York Times publishing its own corroborating account the following day. Anonymous sources told both outlets the upgrade reflects growing alarm within the US defense establishment over increasingly aggressive Israeli intelligence tactics.
What the Assessment Reveals
According to the reports, the DIA assessment includes a detailed document outlining Israel's capabilities in both human intelligence and technical surveillance. The agency now describes those capabilities as operating at a critical level, the highest tier of concern.
Officials said the shift was driven by fears that Israel is intensifying efforts to surveil senior US officials. The alleged objective is to gain insight into internal White House deliberations about how and when to end the war with Iran.
Denials from Both Capitals
An Israeli Embassy spokesperson in Washington rejected the claims outright, calling them completely false. Israel does not collect intelligence on US government officials and focuses only on its adversaries, the spokesperson said.
A White House official also dismissed the report as inaccurate and based on sources without direct knowledge. The Pentagon declined to comment, while the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not respond to requests.
Policy Rift Over Iran
The reported assessment comes amid a visible policy divergence between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump has advocated for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, while Netanyahu has expressed skepticism about any deal and favored stronger military action.
Officials noted that Israel has a clear interest in understanding whether the United States plans to resume major operations against Iran or pivot toward ending the conflict altogether. That strategic uncertainty appears to have sharpened intelligence gathering efforts on the Israeli side.
Intelligence Sharing Continues, With Caveats
Despite the elevated threat level, officials said intelligence sharing between the two countries remains active, particularly on matters related to Iran. However, US officials may now take additional precautions during visits to Israel, including limiting sensitive discussions and relying on secure communication devices.
The episode underscores a well known reality in the intelligence world: allies spy on each other, sometimes aggressively. Reuters has previously reported that intelligence collection occurs even among close partners, though such activities can erode trust during periods of strategic disagreement.
Historical Context
US officials and analysts note that Israel has long maintained a reputation for active intelligence collection on American soil. The most prominent case remains that of Jonathan Pollard, a US Navy analyst convicted in the 1980s for passing classified information to Israel.
The latest concerns could add further strain to a relationship already under pressure. Washington and Tel Aviv are not fully aligned on Middle East strategy, and the spying allegations risk compounding the diplomatic fallout at a moment when clear headed decision making matters most.
For nations watching from the outside, the episode offers a familiar lesson. Entangling alliances and open ended foreign conflicts breed suspicion, mission creep, and blurred lines between partners and competitors. The more a nation commits itself to the wars of others, the more it risks finding its own secrets compromised by those very allies.