Clayton Orders Removal of Non-Essential Staff From Seven Middle East Missions

US intelligence agencies have determined that Iran is preparing lethal actions against American personnel. Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton issued a memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday. The document states that Tehran has substantially increased efforts to target US officials abroad. The assessment places the threat at its highest level since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28.

The memo notes that Iranian plots have reached advanced stages in the Middle East and other countries. Unnamed officials told The New York Times that threats to ambassadors have been assessed in recent weeks. Iran has also identified potential targets in Europe. Some intelligence indicates that Iranian operatives are already active inside the United States. A US official confirmed the memo is authentic to The Times, while another official noted that Iran may lack the full capacity to execute all its ambitions.

State Department officials announced that they are removing non-essential staff from the US embassy in Saudi Arabia. This action follows escalating attacks on Saudi infrastructure by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. CNN reported similar quiet staff reductions at embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon. A US official cited Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots targeting US officials as the primary drivers for these withdrawals.

The Pentagon has confirmed that 21 US military personnel have died in the Middle East since the conflict started. Revolutionary Guard spokesman Hossein Mohebbi stated on Wednesday that Tehran would adopt a new offensive strategy if the US renewed attacks. He said Iran would no longer limit itself to retaliation. Mohebbi also claimed that the quality, range, and power of Iranian missiles have improved.

Reuters reported that two senior Iranian security officials said Tehran has detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf. Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei warned that data centers and artificial intelligence facilities across the region could also be hit if war resumes. The US and Israel may be preparing a new military campaign after next month's mid-term elections. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the US may do another little epic fury using the codename for the war.

US authorities have a long history of accusations regarding Iranian plots against Americans. In March, a US court convicted a Pakistani national of plotting to assassinate President Trump and other politicians on the orders of the Revolutionary Guard. In 2022, a Guard member was charged with trying to arrange the killing of former national security adviser John Bolton. Last year, the intelligence community said Iran would continue to directly threaten US persons globally, especially those involved in the 2020 killing of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani.

The US abruptly pulled bombers from an airbase in England this month over fears of a possible attack. This move followed a security incident at the base. UK authorities subsequently arrested several men on suspicion of working with Iranian intelligence.