Please Follow us on Truth Social, X , Youtube , Minds, Telegram, Rumble, GETTR, Gab
Washington — The Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has elevated the counterintelligence threat posed by Israel to the highest possible level, citing concerns that the close U.S. ally has intensified its espionage activities against American officials.
According to two current U.S. officials and one former official who spoke to NBC News, the DIA issued an internal assessment in recent weeks that raised Israel’s rating to “critical.” The move reflects worries that Israeli intelligence is aggressively targeting senior U.S. figures to gain insight into the Trump administration’s deliberations on the ongoing conflict with Iran and broader Middle East strategy.
The assessment, which includes a seven-page document and accompanying chart, highlights Israel’s capabilities in both human espionage and technical collection as reaching a critical threshold. Specific incidents that prompted the upgrade were referenced but not detailed publicly.
Strained Alliance Dynamics
The timing coincides with reported friction between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the war with Iran, which the U.S. and Israel jointly launched in late February 2026. A ceasefire took effect in early April, but disagreements persist: Trump has pursued diplomatic negotiations with Tehran, while Netanyahu has expressed skepticism and advocated for sustained military pressure, including operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The leak to NBC News comes on the heels of an apparent leak to Axios on the recent Trump-Netanyahu conversation over the conflict in Lebanon.
U.S. officials believe Israel is particularly eager to understand whether Washington plans to resume major combat operations or commit to a negotiated end to the Iran conflict.
Israel strongly denied the allegations. An embassy spokesperson in Washington stated: “It is completely false that Israel spies on the U.S. Israel does not gather intelligence on American entities, let alone U.S. government officials. Israel intelligence collection efforts are aimed at its enemies, not its allies.”
A White House official similarly dismissed the report as “false.”
The Pentagon declined to comment, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not respond to requests for comment.
Long-Standing Pattern, New Intensity
While allies routinely conduct intelligence activities against one another, U.S. officials described Israel’s recent efforts as exceeding typical bounds. American personnel are already advised to exercise heightened caution during visits to Israel, such as using secure communications and avoiding sensitive discussions in hotel rooms.
Experts note that Israel has a well-documented history of aggressive intelligence collection against the United States, even as the two nations maintain deep military and intelligence cooperation. The most infamous case involved Jonathan Pollard, a U.S. Navy analyst convicted in the 1980s of passing classified documents to Israel.
Emily Harding of the Center for Strategic and International Studies described Israel’s intelligence services as “hyper-aggressive,” adding that they maintain keen interest in U.S. decision-making.
Practical Implications
The elevated threat level is expected to prompt additional precautions for U.S. officials interacting with Israeli counterparts. However, sources indicated that day-to-day intelligence sharing between the two countries — particularly on Iran-related matters — has not been disrupted.
This development underscores the complex realities of alliances: even among the closest partners, competing national interests and distrust can strain relations at critical moments.
This article is based on reporting by NBC News. For the full original report, see NBCNews.com.
‘NO AD’ subscription for CDM! Sign up here and support real investigative journalism and help save the republic!
