Overview
- The Defense Intelligence Agency circulated an internal seven-page assessment in recent weeks that, reporters said on Saturday, elevated Israel’s counterintelligence rating from high to “critical.”
- U.S. officials quoted in coverage say the assessment cites a rise in both human spying and technical collection and names specific incidents that drove concern.
- The reporting identified senior U.S. figures as alleged targets of Israeli collection, including negotiator Steve Witkoff and Pentagon policy officials Elbridge Colby and Michael DiMino.
- The White House and the Israeli embassy publicly denied the reports, and the Pentagon and ODNI declined to comment, while officials say daily high-level intelligence sharing has not been publicly curtailed so far.
- Practical changes already in effect include tighter counterintelligence precautions for U.S. personnel visiting or working with Israeli counterparts, and analysts warn the assessment could complicate future deeper military integration if formal sharing limits are imposed.