The Israeli government has denied responsibility for surveillance devices discovered near the White House, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing the suggestion as a “total lie”.

According to a report published by Politico magazine on Thursday, a number of miniature surveillance devices known as “stingrays” were found in close proximity to important Washington locations over the last two years.

The devices imitate mobile phone towers in order to trick phones into giving locations and identity. They can also reveal the contents of conversations.

The magazine cited unnamed security officials who pointed the finger of blame at Israel, stating that a number of US intelligence agencies who had investigated the case had reached that conclusion.

They also said that despite the US government believing its ally was behind the espionage attempts, there had been no consequences for the behaviour.

There was also some acknowledgement that the US has made similar attempts to spy on Israel, despite the allied status of the two nations.

Elad Strohmayer, a spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in Washington, told Politico that the allegations were “absolute nonsense. Israel doesn’t conduct espionage operations in the United States, period.”

Commenting on the accusation while on a trip to Russia, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that he had a “vigorously implemented…directive, no intelligence work in the United States, no spies.”

However, Israel has spied on the United States in the past, most notably in the case of Jonathan Pollard, a naval intelligence specialist, who spied for Israel from 1984-1985, when he was caught.

The Israeli government later admitted to running Pollard as an agent, and he was jailed for 30 years.