US Raises Concern Over Israel's Spying on Trump Administration Officials

WASHINGTON, United States — U.S. officials and military intelligence have raised concerns about Israeli espionage targeting members of the Trump administration, including officials involved in negotiations with Iran, according to reports from the New York Times and NBC News. Israeli intelligence efforts specifically aimed to gather information about U.S. strategy in talks with Iran, with White House envoy Steve Witkoff among those targeted, the reports said. American officials described the Israeli intelligence activities as having crossed a line. The Pentagon elevated its counter-intelligence threat level to the highest possible tier in response to the activities, NBC News reported. U.S. military intelligence subsequently published a new assessment classifying the Israel-linked threat as critical, according to the reports. The espionage concerns arise amid diverging approaches to Iran policy. Trump has continued seeking a diplomatic agreement with Tehran, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been working to convince Washington to resume air strikes on Iranian targets.