Iranian efforts to target US personnel have intensified, with lethal plots against American citizens reaching “advanced stages” in the Middle East and other countries, according to an intelligence warning issued by US Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton. In a memo dated October 23 and addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Clayton said intelligence received through multiple channels indicated that Tehran had substantially increased its efforts to target US personnel.
The warning comes amid escalating regional hostilities involving Iran and groups aligned with it. Washington scaled back staffing at its diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia earlier in the week following intensified attacks by Iran-allied Houthi forces. The attacks have added to security concerns across the region, where the conflict triggered by the Iran war is approaching its eighth month and commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has also faced increased attacks.
Clayton's memo stated that Iranian plotting against US citizens had reached an advanced stage in the Middle East and certain other countries. CIA Director John Ratcliffe was also copied on the unclassified document, which was first reported by Axios. The memo did not provide further details in the information reported by Reuters about specific targets, locations or the nature of the alleged plots.
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The US State Department ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave US diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. Officials also planned to withdraw family members from several other diplomatic missions in the region. On Saturday, the department updated travel advisories for more than a dozen countries across the Gulf and Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Israel, citing an increased threat from Iran-aligned Houthis.
A US official said decisions on embassy staffing were based on ongoing assessments of the security environment. The official said both the threat of Houthi attacks and alleged Iranian plots targeting US officials were informing staffing adjustments at diplomatic missions operating under Restricted Operations Status. This designation gives the State Department greater flexibility in personnel decisions without requiring a public announcement that a mission's status has changed.
The warning comes as the regional conflict continues to affect US security and diplomatic operations. Earlier in October, sources told Reuters that Iran was preparing a stronger response if the United States resumed large-scale military attacks on Iranian territory. The conflict has also weighed on President Donald Trump's approval ratings ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
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