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Media: US Raises Threat from Israeli Espionage to Highest Level (Translated Title)
🇩🇰 Denmark /Conflict & Security

Media: US Raises Threat from Israeli Espionage to Highest Level (Translated Title)

From Berlingske · () Danish

Translated from Danish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Unnamed sources Context piece
  • U.S. intelligence agencies have elevated the threat level of Israeli espionage against the United States to "critical."
  • This heightened concern follows the discovery of surveillance software on U.S. military personnel's phones in Israel.
  • Israel denies spying on the U.S., stating its intelligence gathering targets enemies, not allies.

The United States has raised the threat level posed by Israeli espionage against it to the highest possible level, "critical," according to current and former U.S. officials speaking anonymously to NBC News and The New York Times. This marks a significant escalation in concerns between the two close allies.

the threat from Israeli espionage against the USA has become greater.

— Current and former U.S. officialsSpeaking anonymously to NBC News and The New York Times about the heightened threat.

A report from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) indicates that the threat level was recently elevated from "high" to "critical." This assessment reportedly followed the discovery of surveillance software on the phones of U.S. military personnel stationed in Israel. The DIA report allegedly cites multiple instances of Israeli surveillance of U.S. military personnel over several years, including an incident in 2021 where Israeli intelligence officers were reportedly caught attempting to install eavesdropping equipment at DIA headquarters.

the threat from Israeli espionage in recent weeks has been raised from 'high' to 'critical'.

— Report from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)Describing the elevated threat level.

U.S. officials suspect Israel is making a particular effort to monitor American officials, allegedly seeking information on internal U.S. deliberations regarding the war in Iran. This comes despite close cooperation between the U.S. and Israel in the conflict. Specific U.S. officials, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and former Trump negotiator Elbridge A. Colby, are reportedly targets of this alleged Israeli surveillance.

Israeli intelligence officers were caught red-handed when they were setting up eavesdropping equipment in the DIA's headquarters.

— Anonymous sourcesDetailing a past incident of alleged Israeli surveillance.

Both the U.S. Department of Defense and the White House have declined to comment on the reports. However, one anonymous White House official told The New York Times that the information was "directly untrue." A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C. also told NBC News that it is "completely untrue" that Israel spies on the U.S., stating, "Israel's intelligence gathering is directed at its enemies, not its allies."

Israel is making a special effort to monitor American officials.

— NBC NewsReporting on suspicions of increased Israeli surveillance.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Berlingske in Danish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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