The Pentagon has raised its counterintelligence threat assessment for Israel to its highest level, citing concerns over expanded Israeli efforts to gather information on US officials and internal decision-making on the Middle East, NBC News reported.
US officials told the network that the Defense Intelligence Agency recently classified Israel’s human and technical intelligence-gathering capabilities as “critical” — the agency’s top tier — amid growing tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv over the war with Iran and military operations in Lebanon. A seven-page DIA document is said to outline a series of incidents that contributed to the heightened alert.
The assessment reflects concerns that Israel is seeking insight into internal deliberations within the Trump administration, NBC reported. The shift formalises a US treatment of a treaty ally as a significant counterintelligence concern, a step typically reserved for adversaries.
Israel strongly denied the allegations. Its embassy in Washington said it does not spy on US government officials and described the claims as false. The White House also rejected the report, while the Pentagon declined to comment.
Despite the elevated threat assessment, intelligence-sharing between the two countries continues — particularly on the conflict with Iran — though US personnel are expected to exercise greater caution when travelling to Israel or meeting Israeli officials, the officials said.
The disclosure adds to a widening rift between the two governments as the Iran war approaches its seventh week, with Washington publicly pushing for a Lebanon ceasefire that Tel Aviv has been reluctant to fully accept and the White House recently signalling openness to direct talks with Iran’s leadership.
