In late 2025, the Israeli Ministry of Defense “IDF” and the Chief of the General Staff “Eyal Zamir” ordered the withdrawal of hundreds of Chinese-made vehicles from their officers as part of heightened security measures, fearing their use in espionage operations on behalf of China. Consequently, the IDF issued a decision in late 2025 to withdraw and replace hundreds of Chinese-made vehicles used by its officers due to security concerns related to espionage and data collection. Prior to the comprehensive withdrawal decision, the IDF and its Ministry of Defense had already implemented several restrictive measures for Israeli officers and military personnel using Chinese-made vehicles. The IDF had already prohibited the entry of Chinese vehicles (whether belonging to the IDF or to military personnel) into military bases and sensitive installations, requiring their owners to park them in designated areas outside Israeli military perimeters. Israeli security sources and the Mossad explained that some Chinese vehicles were equipped with systems including cameras, microphones, sensors, and communication technologies that transmit information to external servers, sometimes without the control of the user or the local importer.
Here we observe the extent to which the Israeli military decision was influenced by the policies of other countries, such as the United States and Britain, which have banned the use of Chinese vehicles in sensitive security areas. Consequently, the Israeli army decided to revert to using a number of alternative vehicles from Japanese, Korean, and European companies, such as Mitsubishi, Kia, Skoda, and Opel, in new tenders, despite their higher cost compared to other Chinese vehicles.
Strict orders were issued by the Israeli Chief of the General Staff, Eyal Zamir, to the Israeli army to withdraw approximately 700 Chinese vehicles. This process is scheduled to be completed by the first quarter of 2026. This Israeli military decision included several car models, primarily Chinese-made, and involved the withdrawal of approximately 700 Chinese vehicles, most notably the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro.
This hybrid vehicle had been designated for senior officers (colonels and lieutenant colonels) with large families since 2022. The delivery of BYD Atto 3 electric vehicles, also Chinese-made, which were intended for other officers, was also suspended.
The primary reason for Israeli military concerns relates to the potential use of Chinese automotive technology to bolster China’s digital espionage network. Israeli security officials fear that the intelligent systems and proprietary software in these Chinese vehicles could collect sensitive data, such as geographic location via Chinese “GPS” tracking and monitoring satellites.
Israeli security officials worry that these advanced Chinese systems could collect and transmit sensitive data, such as precise geographic locations, audio and camera recordings, and biometric data, to servers outside Israel, specifically in China, without the users’ knowledge.
Adding to the scale of Israeli security, military, and intelligence concerns was the failure of Tel Aviv’s technology, information systems, artificial intelligence, and advanced technology experts to employ anti-sanitization technology to disable Chinese vehicles and their tracking devices. Israeli cyber experts attempted to sanitize and disable all Chinese multimedia systems and disable the automatic emergency call feature, known militarily as “e-Call.”
The Israeli Ministry of Defense had previously tried to mitigate risks by sanitizing all such multimedia systems in Chinese vehicles and disabling certain functions in their computer systems. However, Israeli cyber experts concluded that these measures were insufficient to prevent data breaches by Beijing. Ultimately, they determined that these measures were inadequate to guarantee complete security.
The Israeli military then made the final decision to withdraw all those Chinese vehicles due to concerns about espionage on behalf of Beijing. The Israeli decision was based on security reports warning that these smart Chinese cars were equipped with cameras, microphones, sensors, and advanced “GPS” tracking systems operating within closed operating systems.
Therefore, the final decision was issued by the Israeli Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, banning the entry of these Chinese vehicles into military bases. This decision followed an earlier measure prohibiting the entry of any Chinese-made vehicles (whether military or civilian) into Israeli military bases, requiring officers to park them in external areas far from sensitive installations. This Israeli military decision was also influenced by significant external pressure from the United States. Reports indicated reprimands or pressure from the US, which is waging a trade and technology war against Chinese cars, considering them a threat to national security. This explains why this move comes at a time of increasing global warnings that Chinese electric and smart cars could be used as intelligence-gathering platforms.
On the other hand, intelligence relations between Israel and China witnessed growing tensions during 2025 and 2026, with the two countries exchanging accusations of cyber and technological espionage amidst a broader struggle for technological supremacy. Among the most prominent developments related to the mutual intelligence claims and actions between Beijing and Tel Aviv was China’s decision to ban Israeli cybersecurity companies in January 2026. In a significant development at the beginning of 2026, Chinese authorities ordered local companies to cease using cybersecurity software produced by Israeli and American firms. The ban included major Israeli companies, most notably:
(Check Point, CyberArk, Cato Networks)
The Chinese government’s stated reason for banning these Israeli cybersecurity companies was national security concerns, citing the possibility of Israeli backdoors in these programs that could allow sensitive information to be transferred abroad or used for espionage. The intelligence crisis between China and Israel reached its peak in September 2015 when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused China of leading organized propaganda campaigns aimed at isolating Israel politically and weakening its international support.
The decision to withdraw Chinese-made vehicles from the Israeli army in November 2025 was considered a precautionary measure by the Israeli military authorities. This decision, issued by Chief of Staff “Eyal Zamir”, ordered the withdrawal of hundreds of Chinese-made vehicles from army officers. Israeli security feared that these vehicles, equipped with advanced Chinese computers, cameras, and sensors, could be used as sophisticated espionage tools to gather data on troop movements and sensitive military sites.
Furthermore, numerous past and ongoing espionage cases between China and Israel, particularly in the military technology sector, have been documented. Reports have revealed past Israeli involvement in transferring American military technologies to China, such as cruise missile systems and avionics, a move that angered Washington for years. The most famous espionage incident remains the so-called “Chocolate Cups Incident” of 2022, in which the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) investigated suspicions of Chinese espionage through gifts sent by the Chinese embassy to Israeli ministries. These gifts allegedly contained advanced Chinese eavesdropping equipment, a claim Beijing vehemently denied, dismissing it as baseless rumors.
For these reasons and the aforementioned issues, Israeli warnings regarding Chinese investments in Tel Aviv have intensified. Israeli security research centers are anxiously monitoring China’s growing involvement in Israeli infrastructure and port projects, such as the Port of Haifa, warning that these Chinese investments could provide platforms for Beijing and its intelligence agencies to gather intelligence on Israeli military capabilities and American technological secrets.
Based on the preceding military analysis, we understand that the decision to withdraw the Chinese vehicles comes at a time of increasing global warnings that Chinese electric and smart cars could be used as platforms for gathering intelligence and military information from the Israeli Ministry of Defense and its vital military installations.
