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Amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, new reports have emerged claiming that Israeli intelligence agencies are eavesdropping on American negotiators involved in efforts to secure a peace deal with Iran.
The incident raised new concerns within US intelligence officials about Israeli espionage activities.According to a report by The New York Times, recent US intelligence assessments highlighted concerns that Israel has intensified its efforts to gather information about Washington’s negotiating position at a time when talks with Tehran remain at an impasse.Reports indicate that Israeli intelligence services have intensified surveillance of senior US officials involved in the negotiations, including US President Donald Trump’s chief negotiator Steve Witkoff, Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, and senior defense official Michael DiMino.These developments come as the United States and Israel continue close military cooperation against Iran while at the same time pursuing diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a long-term settlement with Tehran.While the United States and Israel have historically accepted both countries conducting intelligence operations against each other, some American officials believe that recent Israeli activities have crossed an acceptable threshold.
A separate intelligence assessment prepared by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and other military intelligence agencies reportedly raised the counterintelligence threat posed by Israel from “high” to “serious” in recent weeks. The report identified concerns about Israeli attempts to collect intelligence on US military personnel and government officials.According to the report, incidents involving suspected Israeli intelligence activity have increased since late 2024, when tensions emerged between Washington and Tel Aviv over the conduct of military operations in Gaza.
Concerns continued into 2025, as the Trump administration weighed military and diplomatic options regarding Iran.Among the incidents cited were allegations that American defense personnel in Israel discovered that software capable of intercepting communications had been secretly installed on their cell phones. The report also cited previous cases, including an incident in 2021 in which Israeli military intelligence officers were allegedly caught trying to plant listening devices at the Defense Intelligence Agency headquarters, and another case involving an alleged attempt by members of the Israeli security agency Shin Bet to place a listening device inside a US Secret Service vehicle.Several intelligence units raised concerns that Israeli agencies were trying to monitor talks involving Witkopf and other senior officials involved in negotiations aimed at securing a peace agreement between Washington and Tehran.Concerns arise against the backdrop of divergent goals between Washington and Tel Aviv regarding Iran. While both countries initially seemed allied during the conflict, their strategic priorities began to differ as the war progressed.According to the report, the Trump administration has increasingly focused on weakening Iran’s military capabilities to secure concessions through negotiations, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has pursued broader goals, including further weakening Tehran’s capabilities and weakening Iranian leadership.This revelation could complicate future military coordination between the two allies, especially if the Pentagon decides to impose additional restrictions on intelligence sharing with its Israeli counterparts.
