Pentagon said to raise threat level on Israel spying to ‘critical’

The Pentagon's intelligence arm has reportedly raised the assessed threat level regarding Israeli espionage against the United States from "high" to "critical" in recent weeks. This significant escalation, first reported by NBC News and later by The New York Times, signals growing concerns within U.S. defense circles.

According to anonymous sources cited by the news outlets, the decision to raise the alert level is linked to fears of increasingly aggressive Israeli surveillance tactics. The primary objective, these sources suggest, is to gain insight into internal White House deliberations concerning the ongoing war with Iran and potential ceasefire talks.

Reports indicate that the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has noted an increase in Israeli intelligence-gathering activities. This uptick allegedly began in late 2024, coinciding with the Biden administration's intensified pressure on Israel regarding its conduct in the Gaza war. The activity reportedly continued into 2025 as the Trump administration began considering its approach to the Iran conflict.

While Israel has a history of spying on the U.S., the DIA's assessment points to a notable rise in such efforts. Intelligence assessments have reportedly documented attempts by Israel to monitor key U.S. officials, including President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Pentagon policy official Elbridge Colby. Despite unnamed U.S. officials reportedly calling the reports "false," the situation raises questions about the close intelligence and military cooperation between the two nations.