Pentagon raises counterintelligence alert amid alleged Israeli spying concerns
The US Department of Defense has reportedly raised its counterintelligence threat level to the highest category amid concerns over alleged Israeli intelligence activities inside the United States, according to American media reports.
The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), a Pentagon-run body, has recently issued a counterintelligence assessment highlighting what it describes as increasing Israeli intelligence-gathering efforts. The report was circulated internally in recent weeks and is said to reflect rising tensions over US policy discussions on the Middle East, particularly regarding Iran and ongoing regional conflicts.
According to officials cited in the report, Israel’s threat classification was elevated to “critical,” based on concerns that Israeli intelligence may be attempting to monitor senior US officials involved in decision-making on Middle East strategy. The assessment reportedly includes a seven-page document referencing both human intelligence and technical collection capabilities.
The DIA analysis also points to several unspecified incidents that contributed to heightened US concerns, although officials have not confirmed whether a single event triggered the upgraded alert level.
Israel has strongly rejected the allegations. The Israeli Embassy in Washington said claims that Israel spies on the United States are “completely false,” adding that its intelligence operations are focused on adversaries rather than allies.
US officials have also disputed the report’s interpretation. A White House spokesperson described the story as “incorrect,” while the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not comment on the matter.
Despite tensions in reporting, intelligence experts note that espionage among allies is not uncommon, though the alleged scope described in the report has raised questions within US defence circles.
The development comes amid reported policy differences between Washington and Tel Aviv over Iran and regional military operations, with analysts suggesting diverging strategic priorities between the two allies.
