Israel's espionage now exceeds most U.S. allies and some adversaries
Pentagon elevated Israel's counterintelligence threat from high to critical, the highest level, surpassing most U.S. allies and some adversaries. Israeli intelligence allegedly targeted Trump negotiators and military officials with phone surveillance, including interceptor software installations detected on U.S. defense personnel.
- Pentagon elevated Israel's counterintelligence threat from high to critical, the maximum level
- Israeli intelligence targeted Trump negotiators including Steve Witkoff with phone surveillance
- U.S. defense personnel in Israel discovered interceptor software installed on their phones
- Israeli military intelligence caught installing listening devices at Defense Intelligence Agency headquarters in 2021
- Counterintelligence incidents accelerated in late 2024 and continued through 2025
The U.S. Department of Defense raised its counterintelligence threat assessment of Israel to the highest level, citing concerns over surveillance of American negotiators in Iran peace talks and intensified spying on senior officials.
The Pentagon has quietly elevated Israel to its highest counterintelligence threat category, a dramatic shift that reflects deepening alarm over surveillance operations targeting American officials at a moment when the two countries are supposed to be closer than ever.
The Defense Intelligence Agency and other military intelligence offices made the assessment in recent weeks, moving Israel from a high threat level to critical—the maximum designation. This places Israel's espionage operations above those of most American allies and on par with some declared adversaries. The shift came after U.S. defense personnel stationed in Israel discovered that interceptor software had been covertly installed on their phones, a finding that crystallized months of mounting concern about Israeli intelligence activities.
The specific worry centers on Iran peace negotiations. American officials believe Israeli intelligence services have intensified efforts to monitor Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration's lead negotiator, along with Pentagon policy official Elbridge Colby and his deputy Michael DiMino. The concern is not merely that Israel is spying—both countries have long accepted that they monitor each other—but that the scope and aggression of the current operation has crossed a line. One senior American official described the intensity of Israeli intelligence collection during the Trump administration as "disproportionate."
The timing creates an extraordinary tension. Israel and the United States are fighting a war against Iran together, with Israeli military officers embedded alongside American counterparts at U.S. Central Command. The two nations share vast quantities of tactical and operational intelligence. Yet beneath this unprecedented military coordination runs a current of strategic mistrust. Trump is pursuing a negotiated settlement with Iran, seeking to degrade Iranian military capacity enough to force concessions at the bargaining table. Netanyahu, by contrast, wants to weaken Iran's government so thoroughly that it loses power entirely, while also degrading Hezbollah in Lebanon. These diverging objectives appear to be driving Israeli efforts to understand exactly what Trump intends to offer and how his positions might shift.
The counterintelligence concerns are not new. In 2021, Israeli military intelligence officers were caught installing listening devices at the Defense Intelligence Agency headquarters. Last year, officers from Israel's internal security service, the Shin Bet, attempted to place a listening device in a Secret Service vehicle. But the incidents accelerated sharply in late 2024, when the Biden administration pressed Israel to reduce its attacks on Gaza, and continued through 2025 as the Trump team evaluated options for military action against Iran.
The vulnerability of American officials has been compounded by operational security lapses. Senior Trump administration figures travel on private aircraft, conduct national security business on personal cell phones, and often travel without State Department embassy personnel. These practices have made them especially susceptible to surveillance by both allied and hostile intelligence services. The reliance on personal devices, in particular, has become a recognized weak point that Israeli and other foreign services have learned to exploit.
The Pentagon now faces a difficult choice. Imposing new restrictions on information shared with Israeli officials could complicate efforts to deepen military integration at Central Command, where the coordination is already at historic levels. Yet the counterintelligence assessment suggests that unrestricted information sharing carries real risk. Both countries maintain separate facilities at the U.S.-led Civic-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat, Israel, where sensitive matters can be discussed in compartmentalized spaces. But the broader intelligence relationship may need to be recalibrated. American military personnel working with Israeli counterparts are already aware of the counterintelligence risks and employ various security protocols to protect their devices, particularly during travel to Israel, though officials declined to detail these measures. The question now is whether those precautions will prove sufficient, or whether the Pentagon will need to fundamentally restrict what it shares with its closest military partner in the Middle East.
Notable Quotes
The intensity of Israeli intelligence collection during the Trump administration was described as disproportionate— Senior American official
American military personnel working with Israeli counterparts are aware of counterintelligence risks and employ various security protocols to protect their devices— U.S. military officials
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why would Israel spy on its closest military ally, especially when they're fighting a war together?
Because they're fighting a war together—but not the same war. Trump wants to negotiate Iran into submission. Netanyahu wants Iran's government to fall. Israel needs to know what Trump will actually accept, and whether he might make a deal that leaves Iran still standing.
But couldn't they just ask?
Not really. Asking reveals your hand. And there's a history here of both countries keeping their deepest cards hidden even when they're nominally aligned. The difference now is the scale and the targets—they're going after the actual negotiators, not just collecting general intelligence.
How does installing software on someone's phone even happen?
U.S. personnel in Israel detected it after the fact. The methods aren't public, but Israeli intelligence has sophisticated capabilities and proximity to American officials. Once you're in the same room, or near someone's device, the technical barriers drop significantly.
What happens now? Does the Pentagon just stop trusting Israel?
Not exactly. They can't afford to. The military coordination is too deep. But they'll likely compartmentalize more aggressively—keep the most sensitive information in separate facilities, restrict what flows through normal channels, maybe limit who has access to what. It's a way of staying aligned while protecting yourself.
Is this going to become public?
It already has. NBC reported it first. The question is whether it changes anything operationally, or whether both countries just acknowledge the reality and move forward with their eyes open.