Iran has substantially increased efforts to target United States personnel, and lethal plotting by Tehran against American citizens has reached advanced stages, according to a memo from the United States Director of National Intelligence dated 23 October 2026, seen by Reuters. The memo, from Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was first reported by Axios and its authenticity was verified to USA Today by a United States official.

What the memo says

Clayton wrote that intelligence received through various channels showed Iran had substantially increased efforts to target US personnel, and that lethal plotting efforts had reached advanced stages in the Middle East and in certain other countries. CIA Director John Ratcliffe was copied on the unclassified memo. Clayton also wrote that he would work to downgrade the intelligence so it could be shared more widely.

How it connects to embassy moves

The warning helps explain staffing decisions reported during the same week. The State Department ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave United States diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, and planned to withdraw family members from other missions in the region, United States officials told Reuters. On Saturday, the department updated travel advisories for more than a dozen Gulf and Middle East countries, citing an increased threat from Iran-aligned Houthi forces.

How to read this report

This is a United States intelligence assessment, not a confirmed account of a specific attack. It does not, on its own, prove that any particular plot will be carried out, and Iran has not been reported as confirming the claims. Its significance is that it is shaping official decisions on staffing, travel advice and force protection. Sources: Reuters; USA Today; Axios via Reuters.