US intelligence chief warns Iran is preparing lethal attacks on Americans

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton informed Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that Iranian plots to kill American citizens have reached advanced stages. The warning arrived one day after the intelligence document was dated, marking a sharp rise in perceived threats to US officials and citizens abroad.

The timeline of this escalation began with a report by Axios, which first obtained the details of the intelligence sharing. Clayton sent the memo to Rubio, with a copy directed to CIA Director John Ratcliffe. The document stated that multiple intelligence channels confirmed Iran had substantially intensified its efforts to target American personnel. Clayton noted that these lethal plotting efforts are active in the Middle East and several other countries.

Clayton explained that the information regarding threats to government personnel is relevant to a wider group than those currently holding security clearances. He stated that senior members of Rubio’s team who possess the appropriate clearance have already received the underlying data. The director offered Rubio an additional briefing to discuss the findings in greater detail.

The memo was marked unclassified to facilitate broader discussion within the State Department. It did not specify the names of targets, the methods of attack, or the specific countries outside the Middle East where plots are developing. Clayton pledged to work on downgrading the classification of the intelligence as quickly as possible. This step would allow Rubio to share more details with State Department staff who might be at risk.

The alert coincides with the State Department reducing its diplomatic footprint in several Middle Eastern nations. Washington ordered nonessential employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia earlier this week following increased attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis. Further staff reductions were ordered at embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar, and Jordan. CNN reported that the United States is accelerating the departure of diplomats and their families from these regional posts.

Some of the personnel currently leaving had only recently returned after evacuations earlier in the conflict with Iran. Israel has urged Washington to launch new strikes on Iran sooner, though those efforts have not yet succeeded. President Donald Trump addressed the situation on Friday, keeping open the possibility of further military action if Tehran does not agree to a deal.

Trump said the United States could carry out another operation similar to Operation Epic Fury. "We may do another little Epic Fury. Or they'll agree," Trump said. The memo serves as a formal notification that the intelligence community views the threat level as having moved from preparatory to actionable stages for US diplomatic missions.