CIA Recruiting Israeli Military? Israel Intelligence Officers Warned About Disclosing Classified Information

The militarily intelligence services of Israel have reportedly warned members of the country's defense forces about being recruited by CIA officials. Soldiers and officers of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) were warned last week not to divulge important security information about plans for possible military action in the Middle East region.

“Every security body fears having its confidential information leaked,” an Israeli military source told Channel Two, according to a report from Russian news site Sputnik Monday. The letter addressed to all Israel Defense Force (IDF) officers and soldiers recommended they remain alert and “be aware, and report any unusual incidences.”

Many of those targeted are young U.S. nationals of the IDF that are generally sought out for questioning when attempting to return home on leave. This is reportedly an attempt at recruitment by the CIA, claimed a report published in the Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

Soldiers and officers, especially in the intelligence corps, are routinely warned by military intelligence to be careful what they post online or discuss on nonencrypted phone lines. It is unusual, though, for a letter to be sent to all soldiers in the defense force -- and even more so for a warning to be issued against recruiting attempts by the spy agency of an allied nation.

The military confirmed to the Times of Israel that the letter was genuine but did not say why the country was issuing it now.

The warning comes as Israel attempts to deal with the re-emergence of Iran, which has been largely on the fringes of the Middle East until sanctions against it were lifted by the European Union. They are also gradually being eased by the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long warned against lifting Iranian sanctions and said that his country would make military plans to counter any renewed aggression from Tehran.