Representative image (AI-generated)
Amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, new reports have emerged alleging that Israeli intelligence agencies have been eavesdropping on American negotiators involved in efforts to secure a peace agreement with Iran. The incident has raised fresh concerns within the US intelligence officials about Israeli espionage activities.According to a report by The New York Times, recent US intelligence assessments have highlighted concerns that Israel has intensified efforts to gather information about Washington’s negotiating position as talks with Tehran remain deadlocked.The reports suggest that Israeli intelligence services have stepped up surveillance of senior American officials involved in the negotiations, including US President Donald Trump’s chief negotiator Steve Witkoff, Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby and senior defence official Michael DiMino.The developments come as the United States and Israel continue close military cooperation against Iran while simultaneously pursuing diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a long-term settlement with Tehran.While the United States and Israel have historically accepted that both countries conduct intelligence operations against one another, some American officials reportedly believe Israel’s recent activities have crossed an acceptable threshold. A separate intelligence assessment prepared by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and other military intelligence agencies reportedly elevated the counterintelligence threat posed by Israel from ‘high’ to ‘critical’ in recent weeks. The report outlined 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. The concerns continued into 2025 as the Trump administration weighed military and diplomatic options regarding Iran.Among the incidents cited were allegations that American defence personnel in Israel discovered software capable of intercepting communications had been secretly installed on their mobile phones. The report also referred to previous cases, including an incident in 2021 in which Israeli military intelligence officers were allegedly caught attempting to plant listening devices at DIA headquarters and another case involving an alleged effort by members of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency to place a listening device inside a US Secret Service vehicle.The concern was raised by several intelligence units that Israeli agencies were attempting to monitor conversations involving Witkoff and other senior officials engaged in negotiations aimed at securing a peace agreement between Washington and Tehran.The concerns emerge against the backdrop of diverging objectives between Washington and Tel Aviv regarding Iran. While both countries initially appeared aligned during the conflict, their strategic priorities reportedly began to differ as the war progressed.According to the report, the Trump administration increasingly focused on weakening Iran’s military capabilities to secure concessions through negotiations, whereas Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government sought broader objectives, including further degrading Tehran’s capabilities and weakening the Iranian leadership.The revelations could complicate future military coordination between the two allies, particularly if the Pentagon decides to impose additional restrictions on intelligence sharing with Israeli counterparts.
