WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has raised the threat level of Israeli spying on the U.S. to the highest level, according to two current U.S. officials and one former official. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) issued a new counterintelligence threat assessment, labeling Israel’s espionage efforts as ‘critical,’ according to one of the current officials.

Rising Concerns Over Surveillance

The Pentagon’s concerns stem from intelligence that Israel is intensifying its efforts to surveil top U.S. officials, but the DIA’s assessment includes a seven-page document and a chart that outlines Israel’s increased capacity for human espionage and technical collection. One of the current U.S. officials noted that the document details a series of specific incidents that have heightened U.S. concerns about Israel’s intelligence-gathering activities.

According to Al Jazeera. The DIA cited an uptick in Israeli surveillance activities beginning in late 2024, as the Biden administration increased pressure on Israel over its actions in Gaza. This increase continued into 2025, coinciding with the return of President Donald Trump to the White House and his deliberations on how to proceed with Iran.

Diverging U.S.-Israel Strategy

Public tensions between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have also contributed to the heightened concern. Trump has consistently expressed a desire to bring the war with Iran to a close, while Netanyahu has advocated for resuming hostilities, according to Al Jazeera. The U.S. and Israel launched the war on February 28, but fighting has been largely paused since an April 8 ceasefire. Efforts to secure a lasting agreement have stalled repeatedly.

The New York Times reported that Israel has historically engaged in espionage against the U.S., but the DIA has observed a marked increase in these activities in recent months. The DIA’s assessment also includes evidence of Israeli efforts to monitor high-level U.S. officials, including Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, as well as Pentagon policy official Elbridge Colby and his deputy Michael DiMino IV. Witkoff was the lead negotiator in nuclear talks preceding the February attack on Iran.

Israeli Response and Pentagon Silence

In response to the allegations, an Israeli Embassy spokesperson stated that the claims are “completely false.” The spokesperson emphasized that Israel does not gather intelligence on American entities or U.S. government officials, adding that Israel’s intelligence efforts are directed at its enemies, not its allies. The statement also suggested that such claims are “either misinformed or politically motivated.”

The Pentagon has not publicly commented on the matter. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense did not respond to a request for comment from Al Jazeera, while NBC News and The New York Times relied on unnamed U.S. officials for their reports.