- According to them, the Pentagon’s intel directorate published a new counterintelligence assessment that raised the threat level from Israel to “critical”
- According to NYT, the Jewish state is particularly interested in information regarding US President Donald Trump’s strategy in negotiations with Tehran
The U.S. Department of War is deeply concerned about an increase in Israeli intelligence activity in the country, NBC News reported, citing sources.
According to them, the Pentagon’s intel directorate published a new counterintelligence assessment that raised the threat level from Israel to “critical.”
The decision was made in response to Pentagon concerns that Israel was making a special effort to spy on high-ranking US officials, allegedly to obtain information about US President Donald Trump administration’s decisions regarding the Middle East.
The TV network reported that a spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington said that “Israel intelligence collection efforts are aimed at its enemies, not its allies.” In turn, a White House spokesperson told NBC that the reports of Israeli espionage were unfounded.
Meanwhile, The New York Times (NYT) reported, citing sources, that Israel has crossed the line in its methods of obtaining information as it seeks to learn more about the US position in negotiations with Iran.
The report notes that Israel and the United States have long spied on each other. While both countries are aware of these intelligence activities and generally tolerate them, the Jewish state has crossed the line in its attempts to obtain information about Washington’s position in negotiations with Tehran.
According to the report, US intelligence warned the country’s leadership that Israel had stepped up efforts to monitor and gather information on senior US officials, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby.
The publication notes that while the US military provides its Israeli counterparts with a significant amount of tactical and operational intelligence, the Jewish state is particularly interested in information regarding US President Donald Trump’s strategy in negotiations with Tehran. According to one US official, Israeli espionage has spiraled out of control during Trump’s second term.
