Well the US's M.O. would normally be regime change leading or regime propping leading to tons of abuse of civilians. Clearly in utilitarian terms that is way worse.

But I don't know of an example of messing with the personal well-being of diplomats/spies/goons/whoever who are in their country's compound rather than deployed in the field? Perhaps a taboo is being violated here?

No one got hurt by the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(listening_device).