Iranian Threats: DNI Memo Details Advanced Plots Against Americans
Director Jay Clayton warned Secretary Marco Rubio that lethal attack plans by Iran have moved past the planning phase in multiple regions.
By Lucia Orlov ·
The United States intelligence community has identified a surge in Iranian activities aimed at harming American personnel. This assessment arrived just as Washington began pulling back its diplomatic footprint in the Middle East.
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent a memorandum to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on October 23. The document states that lethal plotting by Iran against US citizens has reached advanced stages in the Middle East and other unspecified countries. A copy of the memo went to CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
Clayton noted that the intelligence is relevant to a wider group than those currently holding security clearances. He stated that appropriately cleared senior members of the State Department team had already received the underlying information. Clayton also offered Rubio an additional briefing on the findings.
The intelligence chief promised to work on downgrading the classification of the data. This step would allow Rubio to share details with more State Department staff who might face risks. The memo itself remained unclassified and did not list specific targets, attack methods, or countries outside the Middle East.
This warning coincides with the State Department scaling back its presence in several regional nations. Citing fears of Iranian retaliation and potential US military operations, Washington ordered nonessential employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia earlier this week. Additional staff reductions were ordered for embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar, and Jordan.
President Donald Trump kept the option of further military action open during a speech on Friday. He said the US could conduct another operation similar to Operation Epic Fury if Iran does not reach an agreement. "We may do another little Epic Fury. Or they'll agree," Trump said.
The situation follows an escalation in attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis. CNN reported that the US is speeding up the departure of diplomats and families from several posts. Some of these personnel had only recently returned from earlier evacuations during the Iran war. Israel has urged Washington to launch new strikes on Iran, but those efforts have not yet succeeded.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
