In a surprising turn of events, the Pentagon has reportedly significantly increased its counterintelligence threat assessment for Israel to its highest level, amid raising concerns that the longtime US ally has stepped up efforts to spy on American officials.
While citing two US officials and a former US official, the NBC News reported that Israel’s Embassy in Washington refused the allegations, stating Israel “does not gather intelligence on American entities, let alone US government officials.”
Additionally, a White House official rejected the report, calling it false, while the Pentagon refused to comment on the ongoing speculation, as per NBC.
Intelligence cooperation between the US and Israel was continuing, it is understood, though American personnel were likely to apply stricter security precautions when dealing with Israeli counterparts.
The reported assessment comes at a crucial point in the ties between the US-Israel, including reported tensions between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the scope of Israeli military action in Lebanon and its effect on the wider ceasefire.
