A scandal is brewing in the corridors of US power that could escalate into a serious diplomatic crisis. The Pentagon has officially raised the counterintelligence threat level from Israel to the highest, "critical" mark. This unprecedented step indicates deep mistrust between two long-time allies against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Internal Alarm in Intelligence
According to sources close to the situation, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has issued a new threat assessment. The document, reviewed by a current agency employee, contains a harsh verdict: Israel is making colossal efforts to spy on high-ranking American officials.
The goal of this activity is to obtain information regarding closed-door discussions and strategic decisions by the Donald Trump administration concerning the conflict with Iran. The seven-page report, accompanied by an analytical chart, asserts that Israel's ability to conduct human and technical intelligence operations against the US has reached a peak.
Disagreements Over Iran and Lebanon
The rise in spy activity correlates directly with the cooling of relations between the leaders of the two countries. In the second half of May, serious disagreements emerged between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Their phone conversations revealed divergences in approaches to the war with Iran.
The situation escalated to the point where, according to Axios, Trump called Netanyahu "crazy" during one of the calls and accused him of ingratitude. The American leader was outraged by the escalation of Israeli actions in Lebanon, which, in Washington's view, threatened to derail fragile negotiations with Tehran.
Categorical Denial and Silence
In response to the espionage accusations, Tel Aviv reacted with a hard denial. A representative of the Israeli embassy in Washington stated that claims of spying on American organizations and officials "are completely untrue".
"Israeli efforts to gather intelligence are directed against its enemies, not allies. Any claims to the contrary are either unfounded or politically motivated," the diplomat emphasized.
In response to the backlash, representatives of the US administration took a defensive stance. The Pentagon declined to comment, while a White House representative attempted to lower the temperature by stating that the story "comes from a person who knows nothing about what is happening".