Al Jazeera said the US Department of Defense did not immediately respond to its request for comment, while an unnamed spokesperson told NBC and The New York Times that the reports were false.
Policy split adds to tensions
The reported intelligence concerns come as US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have publicly differed over the future course of the war with Iran.
Trump has repeatedly signalled that he wants to bring the conflict to an end, while Netanyahu has pushed for continued pressure on Tehran despite a temporary ceasefire announced in April. Fighting has largely slowed since the truce, but efforts to reach a lasting settlement have remained stalled.
US officials quoted in the reports said Israel’s alleged activity appeared to go beyond what is usually expected even among allies that maintain close intelligence ties. The New York Times reported that the DIA’s current designation for Israel now exceeds the assessed counterintelligence threat level of all US allies and even some countries with more strained relations with Washington.
Military ties under scrutiny
The allegations are likely to raise fresh questions about trust in US-Israel military and intelligence cooperation.
The two countries maintain deep defence ties, with Washington providing Israel with extensive military aid and weapons support over many years. At the same time, Congress is reportedly considering defence legislation that could deepen joint US-Israel weapons research and development.
The reported DIA move therefore comes at a sensitive moment, as Washington and Jerusalem continue to coordinate on regional security while facing growing policy differences over Iran and the wider Middle East.
