US Intelligence Chief Reports Iran Has Escalated Kill Plots Against Americans

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned on Friday that Iran has substantially increased its efforts to target American personnel overseas. The unclassified memo sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio states that Iranian plots to kill U.S. citizens have progressed to advanced stages. CIA Director John Ratcliffe was copied on the document.

Clayon wrote that lethal plotting efforts have reached advanced stages in the Middle East and other countries. The memo does not name specific targets or locations where these plots are developing. It also does not state whether an attack is imminent. The intelligence community is working to declassify sensitive information so it can be shared more widely with State Department staff.

The warning arrives as the Trump administration considers resuming military strikes against Iran. Security precautions have tightened at American diplomatic and military sites in the region. The State Department ordered non-essential embassy personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia earlier this week. Several other U.S. embassies in the region switched to restricted operations status. This status allows agencies to reduce staffing without formally ordering a departure.

A U.S. official told CBS News on Friday that the department constantly evaluates new information about the security environment. The official said the threat of Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots is shaping staffing decisions at embassies under restricted operations. A U.S. official and a senior military official said this week that the military has quietly reduced its presence at Middle East posts due to continuing threats.

Iran-backed Houthi militants have attacked Saudi Arabia, targeting oil infrastructure and airports. A strike on Riyadh's King Khalid Airport earlier this month killed several people, including one U.S. citizen, and injured hundreds. Last weekend, U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates took steps to respond to these attacks.

President Trump has not ruled out restarting hostilities after the midterm elections next month. He spoke at a campaign rally in Florida on Friday and suggested another operation could follow if Tehran does not reach an agreement. The president said, 'We may do another little Epic Fury, or they'll agree,' referring to the U.S. military campaign launched in February.