Clayton: Iran has advanced plots targeting U.S. personnel abroad

The U.S. intelligence community has determined that Iranian efforts to kill Americans overseas have reached advanced stages. In an unclassified memo dated Friday, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton told Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Iran has substantially increased its targeting of U.S. personnel. The document was also shared with CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Clayton wrote that these lethal plotting efforts are active in the Middle East and other specific countries, though the memo does not name the exact locations or identify specific targets.

Clayton stated that the intelligence community is working to declassify sensitive information gathered through various channels. This process aims to allow State Department staff to share the intelligence more broadly. The memo does not indicate that an attack is imminent, but it outlines the current trajectory of Iranian activity. The assessment arrives while the Trump administration considers whether to resume military strikes against Tehran.

Security measures have tightened at American diplomatic and military sites in the region. Earlier this week, the State Department ordered non-essential embassy personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia. Several other U.S. embassies in the area have moved to restricted operations status. This designation allows posts to reduce their staff without formally declaring an ordered departure. A U.S. official said the department constantly evaluates new information about the security environment to make these staffing decisions.

The threat landscape includes both Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots. Houthi militants, backed by Iran, have targeted Saudi oil infrastructure and airports. One strike on Riyadh's King Khalid Airport earlier this month killed several people, including a U.S. citizen, and injured hundreds more. In response to these attacks, U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates took protective steps last weekend. A senior U.S. military official said the military has also quietly shrunk its presence at posts in the Middle East due to continuing threats.

President Trump addressed the situation at a campaign rally in Florida on Friday. He suggested that another military operation could follow if Iran does not reach an agreement with the United States. Trump said, "We may do another little Epic Fury, or they'll agree." This comment referred to the U.S. military campaign launched in February. The president has not ruled out restarting hostilities after next month's midterm elections, even though the two nations have avoided direct strikes in recent weeks.

Iran continues to claim responsibility for attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The State Department's recent personnel moves reflect a cautious approach to the ongoing regional conflict. The memo serves as a formal notification of the intelligence community's assessment to the diplomatic leadership.