DNI Memo Orders Staff Withdrawals as Iran Plots Reach Advanced Stage

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent a memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning that Iran has reached advanced stages in planning attacks against American personnel abroad. The internal document, first reported by Axios and The New York Times, states that US agencies have gathered intelligence showing Tehran has substantially increased its efforts to target US citizens. This assessment has triggered immediate security changes across the diplomatic sector.

The State Department announced on Wednesday that it is removing non-essential staff from its embassy in Saudi Arabia. The decision cites escalating attacks on Saudi infrastructure by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. CNN reported that quiet staff reductions are also occurring at US missions in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon. A US official told The New York Times that Houthi strikes and Iranian terror plots targeting officials are driving these operational adjustments.

Intelligence assessments indicate that threats to US officials, including ambassadors, are at their highest level since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28. The Times reported that Iran has lined up potential targets in Europe and that operatives may already be active inside the United States. While Washington has not commented publicly on the memo, one official confirmed its authenticity. Another official downplayed the threat, noting that Iran lacks the capacity to follow through on all its ambitions.

The Pentagon confirmed that 21 US military personnel have been killed in the Middle East since the start of the conflict. Iranian officials are preparing for a potential shift in strategy. On Wednesday, Revolutionary Guard spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said Tehran would adopt an offensive posture if the US renewed attacks. He stated that the quality, range, and power of Iranian missiles had improved, moving beyond simple retaliation.

Reuters cited two senior Iranian security officials who said Tehran has detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf. Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei warned that cables, data centres, and artificial intelligence facilities across the region could be hit if war resumes. These warnings come as the US and Israel prepare for a new military campaign after next month's mid-term elections.

President Donald Trump said on Friday that the US may do another little epic fury, using the codename for the ongoing war. Recent intelligence operations have focused on preventing assassinations. In March, a US court convicted a Pakistani national of plotting to assassinate Trump on Revolutionary Guard orders. In 2022, a Guard member was charged with arranging the killing of former adviser John Bolton, allegedly offering $300,000 to conspirators.

This month, US authorities abruptly pulled bombers from an airbase in England over fears of a possible attack. The move followed a security incident at the base, after which UK authorities arrested several men on suspicion of working with Iranian intelligence. Iran has not responded to the latest memo from Clayton.