U.S. intelligence officials are warning that Iran has intensified efforts to assassinate Americans overseas, prompting the Trump administration to reduce diplomatic staffing across the Middle East amid escalating threats from Tehran and its terrorist proxies.
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton issued an unclassified memo Friday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, warning that Iranian assassination plots targeting U.S. citizens have reached dangerous levels.
“Lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages,” Clayton wrote.
Clayton said Tehran has significantly expanded operations targeting American personnel abroad and warned that the danger extends beyond individuals currently authorized to receive classified intelligence.
The warning follows deadly attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, including strikes against Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid Airport earlier this month that reportedly killed at least 12 people, including an American, and injured hundreds.
In response, the State Department ordered additional personnel reductions at diplomatic facilities in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia has been operating with emergency personnel following intensified Houthi missile attacks.
On Saturday, the State Department also updated travel advisories for more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, citing growing threats from Iranian-backed militants.
President Donald Trump addressed the escalating confrontation during a Friday campaign rally in Florida, suggesting another military operation against Iran could be forthcoming if Tehran refuses to reach a peace agreement.
Trump referenced Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military campaign launched against Iran in February, while signaling that Washington remains prepared to use military force.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded with warnings against further American military action, arguing that escalation around the Strait of Hormuz could endanger civilians and disrupt the global economy.
American Greatness Staff
