Recent US intelligence assessments have sparked concern over reports that Israeli intelligence agencies have been monitoring US officials involved in negotiations aimed at securing a peace agreement with Iran, according to information published by The New York Times Saturday.
Recent reports have also renewed broader worries within Washington about "Israel's" counterintelligence activities targeting the United States.
Washington and Tel Aviv have reportedly engaged in intelligence gathering against one another, with a degree of "mutual awareness and tolerance". However, some US officials believe "Israel's" recent efforts to obtain information about American negotiating positions regarding Iran have exceeded accepted boundaries.
Concerns over monitoring of senior US officials
The intelligence reports indicate that Israeli agencies may have intensified surveillance efforts directed at senior American officials. Among those reportedly targeted are Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's chief negotiator, Elbridge A. Colby, the Pentagon's top policy official, and Michael P. DiMino IV, one of Colby's principal deputies.
US officials cited in the report expressed concern that "Israel" is seeking greater insight into the Trump administration's strategy and evolving positions in negotiations with Iran.
A separate intelligence assessment prepared by the Defense Intelligence Agency and other military intelligence offices examined incidents spanning several years and concluded that the counterintelligence threat posed by "Israel" had recently been raised from "high" to "critical," the highest designation.
The report, which included contributions from the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, details multiple instances in which Israeli intelligence services allegedly sought information from American military personnel and government officials.
The existence of the report and the elevated threat designation were previously reported by NBC News.
Growing sensitivity amid US-'Israel' Cooperation
The concerns emerge during a period of close military cooperation between Washington and Tel Aviv. The United States and "Israel" have coordinated extensively in their aggression against Iran, with Israeli officers working alongside American counterparts at US Central Command.
The US military continues to share substantial tactical and operational intelligence with Israeli forces. Nevertheless, senior American officials reportedly believe "Israel" is particularly interested in understanding President Trump's broader approach to negotiations with Tehran.
Officials warned that the new intelligence findings could complicate ongoing efforts to deepen military planning and coordination between US Central Command and "Israel", especially if the Pentagon decides to impose additional limits on information-sharing arrangements.
Despite their close partnership, disagreements have emerged over Iran policy. While President Trump has pursued diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a peace agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has advocated for further weakening Iran's capabilities, undermining its ruling establishment, and continuing its brutal aggression on Lebanon.
Espionage incidents
The Defense Intelligence Agency's assessment was reportedly prompted in part by incidents in which American defense personnel stationed in "Israel" discovered that software capable of monitoring communications had allegedly been covertly installed on their mobile devices.
Current and former US officials who spoke anonymously to the NYT said the latest warning was not entirely unexpected. "Israel" has long maintained aggressive intelligence-gathering operations directed at both adversaries and allies, a practice that officials noted is also common among major intelligence services, including those of the United States.
However, officials said "Israel's" current counterintelligence threat rating now exceeds that of any other American ally and is considered more serious than the threat posed by some adversarial nations. Among US partners, only South Korea receives a similarly elevated assessment in certain circumstances, though still below "Israel's" current designation.
One senior US official characterized the scale of Israeli intelligence collection targeting senior members of the second Trump administration as "unhinged."
Source:Websites
