Recent U.S. intelligence reports indicate that Israeli intelligence agencies are persistently monitoring American negotiators involved in brokering a U.S.-Iran peace agreement, leading to a heightened overall counterintelligence risk from Israel that has raised concerns in Washington.
Both the United States and Israel have long been aware that they conduct intelligence operations against each other, a practice that has been tacitly accepted. However, several U.S. officials stated that Israel's recent intensified efforts to probe the American position in nuclear negotiations with Iran have crossed a line.
The reports mention that Israel has increased surveillance on several senior U.S. officials, including the Trump administration's chief negotiator Steve Witkoff, the Pentagon's top policy official Elbridge A. Colby, and one of Colby's key deputies, Michael P. Dimeno IV.
Another report, authored by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency in collaboration with other military intelligence units and covering events dating back several years, notes that in recent weeks the U.S. has elevated the counterintelligence threat level posed by Israel from "high risk" to the highest "critical" level. This document, compiled with assistance from the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, details various espionage activities conducted by Israel targeting U.S. military personnel and government officials.
The already highly sensitive situation has been further inflamed by these reports and growing U.S. apprehension over Israeli espionage. The U.S. and Israel are currently collaborating closely to counter Iran, with their military cooperation reaching an unprecedented level, including Israeli officers working alongside American personnel at U.S. Central Command.
The U.S. military shares a significant amount of tactical and operational intelligence with Israel. However, senior U.S. officials revealed that Israel is attempting to ascertain the Trump administration's strategy and evolving stance in the peace negotiations.
This warning could hinder deeper military operational planning collaboration between U.S. Central Command and Israel, and cooperation could be further impacted if the Pentagon decides to restrict intelligence sharing with Israeli personnel.
The Trump administration's push for a U.S.-Iran peace deal contrasts with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's objective to further weaken Iran, undermine its theocratic government, and strike its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon—a divergence in goals that has long fueled tension.
The Defense Intelligence Agency report was finalized following several incidents, including cases where U.S. defense personnel discovered their phones had been surreptitiously implanted with communication surveillance software while in Israel.
NBC News had previously reported on the existence of this report and the elevation of the threat level.
A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in Washington denied that Israel poses a counterintelligence threat, asserting that Israel does not spy on U.S. officials or agencies.
Several current and former U.S. officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the intelligence, described the situation. They noted that the issuance of this counterintelligence warning was not surprising. Like the U.S., Israel has a long history of conducting aggressive intelligence collection against both adversaries and allies.
Nevertheless, Israel's current counterintelligence threat level is now assessed as higher than that of all U.S. allies and even surpasses that of some adversarial nations. Officials stated that among U.S. allies, only South Korea's spy risk level is rated as "high" in specific scenarios, which barely approaches Israel's threat level.
One senior U.S. official remarked that during Trump's second term, Israel's intelligence collection targeting high-level U.S. officials has become increasingly brazen.
Two senior U.S. military officers indicated that even before this new report, U.S. personnel stationed in or working with Israel were already aware of the associated counterintelligence risks.
These officials, who discussed internal assessments on condition of anonymity, said U.S. personnel have developed and implemented a series of security protocols to mitigate risks and protect phones and other electronic devices, exercising particular caution while operating in Israel. They declined to specify the protective measures for security reasons.
While military cooperation between the two nations is extremely close, both sides also rigorously safeguard their most classified information.
For instance, at the U.S.-led Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat, Israel, U.S. and Israeli military and civilian personnel collaborate to implement the Gaza ceasefire agreement and advance humanitarian aid. However, the building has designated separate floors for U.S. and Israeli personnel to discuss top-secret matters.
The report notes an increase in counterintelligence-related incidents starting in late 2024, when the Biden administration pressured Israel to halt its assault on Gaza. The espionage activities continued into 2025 as the Trump administration considered military action against Iran.
This report, which synthesizes information from multiple military intelligence agencies, also outlines several specific incidents in recent years: in 2021, Israeli military intelligence personnel were caught red-handed attempting to install eavesdropping equipment at the Defense Intelligence Agency headquarters; last year, Israeli Shin Bet agents were discovered trying to place listening devices in U.S. Secret Service vehicles.
While the Defense Intelligence Agency document does not directly mention U.S.-Iran peace talks, other recent intelligence reports show that Israel has been monitoring key negotiators like Witkoff during U.S. efforts to secure a long-term peace agreement with Iran.
A former senior U.S. official with long-term responsibility for Israel policy analyzed that some senior Trump administration officials' habits—such as traveling on private planes, using personal mobile phones for national security matters, and refusing accompaniment by U.S. embassy staff abroad—make them highly vulnerable to surveillance and penetration by intelligence agencies of both allies and adversaries.
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