Iranian plots to kill U.S. officials in Middle East have reached ‘advanced stages,’ intel memo warns

Iran has increased efforts to target U.S. personnel in the Middle East and other countries, according to a memo sent by the Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday.

The memo warned that “the lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages.”

A U.S. official confirmed the authenticity of the memo first reported by Axios.

The intelligence comes days after sources told NBC News the U.S. military has been quietly scaling back its troop presence at bases across the Middle East. The State Department ordered a further reduction in staff at multiple diplomatic posts in the region, including in Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan, according to a State Department official.

Those posts have already been placed on a “restricted operations” status and have been functioning with limited staffing since the start of the war.

Clayton told Rubio in the memo that the risk is “relevant to more individuals than are currently cleared to receive this information,” adding: “We will make every effort to downgrade as much intelligence as possible so you can share it with State Department personnel at your discretion.”

The reduction of American forces and diplomatic personnel is similar to drawdowns at bases and embassies that the Defense Department and the State Department initiated around the start of the war with Iran in February.

“When it comes to our staffing at embassies, we constantly evaluate new information about the security environment,” a U.S. official said. “The threat of Houthi attacks and of Iranian terror plots targeting U.S. officials are informing our decisions on staffing adjustments for embassies on Restricted Status in the region.”

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President Donald Trump said this week that he was considering another operation against Iran, after months of strikes on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and limited progress toward a long-term ceasefire.

“We may do another little Epic Fury,” he told a rally in Florida on Friday, referring to the U.S. name for the initial wave of strikes. “If they’re smart, they’ll just say, let’s get down to business,” he added.

His comment came after senior U.S. military officials presented Trump with options for new strikes in Iran.

Among the military options presented to Trump in recent weeks are major strikes against the tunnels or entrances of Iran’s nuclear facilities, such as at Pickaxe Mountain, or against its strategic islands, according to one of the U.S. officials and a former U.S. official with knowledge of the options.

They said some of the options include targeting Kharg Island — which is home to the vast majority of Iran’s oil production, making it an economic lifeline for the country — and Qeshm in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran had proposed a fresh deal last month to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within days. Trump publicly rejected that proposal without giving a specific reason, saying Iran wanted a deal “because they’re losing so badly.” He also accused Iran of seeking to drive up oil prices ahead of the midterm elections.

“We don’t care about U.S. midterm elections,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. “We care about our national interests.”

On Wednesday, the chiefs of mission at multiple U.S. diplomatic posts in the Middle East were notified that their posts would begin operating with reduced staff, the two U.S. officials said. The State Department also announced Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia is under “ordered departure,” meaning it will operate only with emergency staff.

“The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott wrote on X.