Intelligence agencies cooperate with each other, especially among allied and friendly nations, and in this context, the relationship between the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Israeli intelligence agency (Mossad) stands out. However, these relationships may undergo some changes, as has happened recently between American and Israeli intelligence, with this relationship being strained during the administration of President Joe Biden, according to the New York Times.
The reasons for this change relate to the Iranian file. The newspaper reports, citing officials, that a US spy network's mission in Iran failed due to "counterintelligence operations" executed by Tehran, which hindered "rebuilding efforts." Officials state that Israel provided the US with "reliable intelligence" regarding Iranian nuclear activities, missile programs, and its support for militias throughout the region.
The intelligence agencies of both countries have a long history of cooperation and worked well together during the administration of former President Donald Trump, who approved or was involved in many Israeli operations in the "shadow war" against Iran, according to the newspaper. This changed after President Biden was elected, as he promised to return to the nuclear deal with Iran, which Israel strongly opposes. Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reduced intelligence sharing with the US last spring, as he did not trust the Biden administration, according to the New York Times.
According to the newspaper, the "challenge" facing the two countries now, particularly during the upcoming meeting between new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and President Biden at the White House, will be "whether they can rebuild that trust, even with conflicting agendas regarding Iran."
The first meeting between Biden and Bennett at the White House was postponed to Friday after being overshadowed by two suicide bombings near the Kabul airport during an American evacuation mission from Afghanistan. The bombings occurred on Thursday, just hours before the planned meeting between Biden and Bennett in Washington, aimed at opening a new chapter in relations between the two countries and finding common ground regarding Iran despite their disagreements on how to deal with its nuclear program.
The meeting is expected to focus on countering the Iranian nuclear program and enhancing US support for Israel, according to AFP. The Biden administration prefers a diplomatic approach, aiming to revive the 2015 nuclear deal and build upon it, while Israeli officials argue that only force can prevent Iran from building an atomic bomb.
The newspaper quoted "senior" Israeli officials saying that the "main goal" of Bennett's visit would be to determine whether the Biden administration will continue to support Israeli covert operations against the Iranian nuclear program. Israeli officials hope that no new deal with Iran will limit operations that previously included targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists, as the newspaper reported.
Aharon Ze'evi Farkash, the former head of Israeli military intelligence, stated that "the exchange of intelligence and operational information between Israel and the United States is one of the most critical topics on the agenda for the meeting." Farkash added, "Israel has developed unique capabilities to gather intelligence in several hostile countries, capabilities that the United States could not develop on its own, and without them, its national security would be at risk."
The newspaper stated that the meeting between Bennett and Biden will reinforce the fact that the United States has become more reliant on Israel for information about Iran. It added, "Although the US has other sources of intelligence, including electronic eavesdropping by the National Security Agency, it lacks the espionage network inside Iran that Israel possesses."
Earlier this August, CIA Director William Burns conducted talks in Israel with Bennett, with Iran topping the agenda. Recently, regional tensions have increased due to an attack on July 29 against a tanker operated by an Israeli company off the coast of Oman, which Israel, the US, and Britain accused Tehran of orchestrating. Iran denied involvement in the attack, which is believed to have been carried out by a drone, resulting in the death of two crew members, one British and the other Romanian.
