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U.S. Intelligence Reports Note Heightened Israeli Espionage Concerns
Recent U.S. intelligence assessments identified an elevated risk of Israeli espionage targeting American officials involved in Iran-related negotiations. The Defense Intelligence Agency documented spyware on U.S. defense personnel phones. The White House denied the reporting.
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U.S. intelligence offices identified an increased threat of Israeli espionage operations aimed at American officials handling Iran policy, according to reports published by the New York Times and NBC News. The Times reported Saturday that the officials under scrutiny include the top American negotiator with Iran, the Pentagon's under secretary of defense for policy, and one of that official's top deputies.
The latter oversees Defense Department policy for the Middle East. A Defense Intelligence Agency report followed statements from U.S. defense personnel who said they found spyware on their phones. A senior official described Israeli intelligence collection efforts as unusually aggressive.
NBC News reported Friday that the Pentagon raised the counterintelligence threat level for Israel to the highest designation. The White House denied the reporting. The assessments emerged during ongoing U.S.
discussions with Iran and amid Israeli military operations in Lebanon. Iran had previously threatened to suspend peace talks with the U.S. over those operations.
