Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton issued a memo on Friday warning that Iran has increased its efforts to target U.S. personnel. According to the document sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Iranian lethal plotting against U.S. citizens has reached "advanced stages" in the Middle East and several other countries.
The warning comes as the U.S. government adjusts its presence in the region. The U.S. military has been reducing its footprint at certain posts, and the State Department recently altered staffing at several diplomatic facilities due to threats from Iran and the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen.
According to the memo, the U.S. intelligence community is working to downgrade sensitive information to allow broader sharing with State Department personnel. While the memo details that plots are in advanced stages, it does not name specific targets or countries, nor does it state whether attacks are imminent. CIA Director John Ratcliffe was also copied on the correspondence.
The State Department recently ordered non-essential personnel and their families to leave the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have moved to "restricted operations" status. This designation allows for reduced staffing levels without a formal order for all non-essential personnel to depart. U.S. officials stated these adjustments are informed by the threat of Houthi attacks and Iranian plots.
Recent regional violence includes Houthi drone and missile strikes against Saudi Arabian infrastructure. One attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid Airport earlier this month resulted in at least 12 deaths, including one U.S. citizen, and hundreds of injuries. Additionally, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard navy recently threatened to strike U.S. military bases if the U.S. continues to assist commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The security warning and subsequent staffing drawdowns affect U.S. government employees and their families stationed across at least five Middle Eastern nations. In Saudi Arabia, non-essential workers and their families were required to leave the country starting Wednesday. In Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, staff remain but face "restricted operations," which typically limits movement and reduces the overall number of personnel on-site. For private U.S. citizens traveling or living in these regions, the government has issued warnings to exercise caution following recent attacks.
The scale of the military and diplomatic shift follows the launch of "Operation Epic Fury" in February. Tensions have already impacted the global economy, contributing to higher energy costs for U.S. households, including increased prices for gasoline, airfare, and groceries. The conflict has reached what mediators describe as a stalemate, but U.S. officials indicate that further escalation could further disrupt the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway critical to the global energy trade.
The political and military situation remains in flux as the U.S. approaches midterm elections on November 3. President Trump stated at a Friday rally in Florida that he may resume military strikes, referred to as "another little Epic Fury," if an agreement with Tehran is not reached. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has conversely warned that further escalation puts the global economy and civilian lives at risk. While the embassies remain open, there is no reported date for when restricted operations will end or when personnel might return to Saudi Arabia.