Overview
- The Defense Intelligence Agency has raised its counterintelligence threat level for Israeli activity to its highest setting, a formal assessment reported by multiple U.S. outlets.
- U.S. media have reported alleged attempts by Israeli services to monitor senior U.S. figures, including negotiator Steve Witkoff and Pentagon policy official Elbridge Colby, to learn internal U.S. deliberations on Middle East policy.
- Israel’s embassy has denied the accusations and rejected any intelligence collection directed against its U.S. ally.
- This development follows the Feb. 28 joint U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran and growing friction between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, which officials say raise incentives for intelligence gathering.
- The DIA elevation could reduce the flow of shared intelligence, prompt tighter U.S. counterintelligence vetting, and complicate military and diplomatic cooperation between Washington and Jerusalem.