Iran has substantially increased efforts to target US personnel, and lethal plots against American citizens have reached advanced stages, a US intelligence memo dated 23 October warns. Reuters reported the memo, from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, after it was first reported by Axios and its authenticity was confirmed to other outlets by a US official.

What the memo says

Clayton wrote that Iran had “substantially increased efforts to target US personnel” and that “the lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against US citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries.” The memo did not identify specific targets or locations beyond the Middle East, and did not say an attack was imminent. CIA Director John Ratcliffe was also copied on the unclassified message.

Embassy moves already under way

The warning followed Washington scaling back staffing at its mission in Saudi Arabia after intensified attacks by Iran-allied Houthi forces. The State Department ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, and announced temporary staffing reductions at embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which remain open with restrictions. On Saturday it updated travel advisories for more than a dozen Gulf and Middle East countries, citing an increased threat from Iran-aligned Houthis.

The context officials stress

US officials have denied the embassy reductions are connected to possible new strikes by the United States and Israel, and the State Department says staffing is constantly reviewed against the security environment. The memo itself notes the information was relevant to more people than were authorised to receive it, and Clayton offered to downgrade it so at-risk personnel could be informed.