Is Israel spying on the United States? Iran talks under spotlight as espionage fears grow

Amid ongoing wars in the Middle East, new reports claim that Israeli intelligence agencies have been eavesdropping on U.S. negotiators involved in a peace deal with Iran. The incident raised new concerns among U.S. intelligence officials about Israeli espionage.The latest U.S. intelligence assessment highlights concerns that Israel has stepped up efforts to gather information about Washington’s negotiating position as talks with Tehran remain deadlocked, The New York Times reported.The report said Israeli intelligence had stepped up surveillance of senior U.S. officials involved in the negotiations, including President Donald Trump’s chief negotiator Steve Witkoff, Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby and senior defense official Michael DiMino.The developments come as the United States and Israel continue to engage in close military cooperation against Iran while pursuing diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a long-term solution with Tehran.While the United States and Israel have historically acknowledged that both countries conduct intelligence operations against each other, some U.S. officials reportedly believe that Israel’s recent activities have crossed a threshold of acceptability.In recent weeks, separate intelligence assessments prepared by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and other military intelligence agencies reportedly upgraded the counterintelligence threat posed by Israel from “high” to “severe.” The report outlines concerns about Israel’s attempts to gather intelligence on U.S. military personnel and government officials.The report said incidents of alleged Israeli intelligence activity had increased since late 2024, when tensions arose between Washington and Tel Aviv over military operations in Gaza. Such concerns continue into 2025 as the Trump administration weighs military and diplomatic options against Iran.Among the incidents cited were allegations that U.S. defense personnel in Israel discovered software secretly installed on their phones that could intercept communications. The report also cited previous cases, including a 2021 incident in which Israeli military intelligence officers allegedly attempted to plant eavesdropping devices at the Defense Intelligence Agency headquarters, and another case involving members of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency who allegedly placed eavesdropping devices inside a U.S. Secret Service vehicle.Multiple intelligence services are concerned that Israeli agencies are trying to spy on conversations between Vitkov and other senior officials involved in negotiations aimed at securing a peace deal between Washington and Tehran.These concerns come against the backdrop of divergent goals between Washington and Tel Aviv regarding Iran. Although the two countries initially appeared aligned during the conflict, their strategic priorities reportedly began to diverge as the war progressed.The report said the Trump administration has increasingly focused on reducing Iran’s military capabilities to secure concessions through negotiations, while the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pursued broader goals that include further weakening Tehran’s capabilities and undermining Iran’s leadership.The leaks could complicate future military coordination between the two allies, especially if the Pentagon decides to impose additional restrictions on intelligence sharing with its Israeli counterparts.