Amid the U.S.-Iran conflict, several media outlets have reported an increase in alleged Israeli espionage activities in the United States aimed at gathering intelligence on ongoing negotiations related to the war. Countering those reports, Israeli media have dismissed the claims as the result of opposition within the Pentagon to Operation Epic Fury. Both sides cite anonymous American sources.
The reports surfaced as the ceasefire announced on April 8 between the United States and Iran remains in effect, despite continuing military incidents, attacks on regional targets across the Gulf, and disputes over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli strikes in Lebanon have also continued despite multiple ceasefire agreements and diplomatic efforts led by the United States. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month and later confirmed reports that he had called Netanyahu “crazy” over his desire to attack Beirut. Trump described the conversation as tense.
“I was a little bit perturbed,” Trump said, according to a report by Axios.
Amid a conflict that has affected global economies and raised concerns about energy security, negotiations have continued with a focus on extending the truce and addressing Iran’s nuclear program.
US media: Israeli spying is a ‘critical’ threat
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Several reports by major U.S. media outlets have cited anonymous officials describing Israeli intelligence activities as a serious counterintelligence concern.
According to the New York Times, there are growing concerns within the Pentagon about a more “general counter intelligence threat” posed by Israel. The newspaper cited U.S. intelligence reports alleging surveillance of senior American officials, including Trump’s chief negotiator Steve Witkoff, the Pentagon’s top policy official Elbridge A. Colby, and Colby’s aide Michael P. DiMino IV.
The report cited senior American officials who said Israel has sought insights into Trump’s strategy and evolving approach to negotiations with Iran.
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Earlier, NBC News cited “two U.S. officials and one former U.S. official” who said the United States had raised its counterintelligence threat assessment regarding Israel to the “highest level.” According to the report, one official had reviewed an internal Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) message that classified the threat as “critical.”
That official told NBC that the DIA assessed both human intelligence operations and technical collection efforts as posing a critical threat. The assessment reportedly consisted of a seven-page document and an accompanying chart.
Israeli media pushes back
Israeli media outlets have challenged those reports, citing other American officials who argue that the allegations reflect the views of a minority within the Pentagon opposed to military action against Iran and who are critical of Israel’s role in the conflict.
According to a June 7 report by The Jerusalem Post, unnamed U.S. sources rejected the claims reported by NBC News and characterized the espionage concerns as part of a broader narrative against Operation Epic Fury, Washington’s name for the military campaign.
“In other words, there have always been ‘America First’ forces within the US, and even within the Pentagon, who oppose American intervention in Iran and are angry at Israel for its role in helping convince US President Donald Trump to go to war,” the Post wrote.
The Jerusalem Post also argued that the DIA has, on several occasions, been out of step with the Trump administration’s assessment of events.
The newspaper pointed to previous intelligence leaks that it claimed were intended to undermine “Trump’s narrative of the war’s success.”
Authorities refute the allegation
The White House rejected the reports alleging Israeli espionage and questioned the credibility of the sources behind them.
“This entire story is false and sourced to someone who doesn’t have any knowledge of what’s going on,” a White House official told NBC News.
A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington also denied the allegations, calling the reports “completely false.”
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“Israel does not gather intelligence on American entities, let alone US government officials,” the spokesperson said. “Israel intelligence collection efforts are aimed at its enemies, not its allies. Any claims to the contrary are either misinformed or politically motivated.”
All three of the outlets that reported the allegations sought comment from U.S. government agencies, but none received an official response before publication. The New York Times reported that the DIA declined to comment. NBC News said it did not receive a response from the Pentagon, while The Jerusalem Post reported that both the Pentagon and the CIA did not respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile the Israeli media has levied other serious allegations against the U.S., with some reports claim that on earlier occasions Tel Aviv has shared important intelligence reports with the U.S. administration about Iran.
“The report raised credibility concerns, given that during the 2026 Iran war, senior IDF [Israeli Defense Forces] officials entered top-secret US command centers, senior US military officials entered Israeli command centers, and a large number of US military aircraft were operating out of Ben-Gurion Airport,” The Jerusalem Post reported.
