U.S. Intelligence Warns Iranian Plots Against Americans in Middle East Have Advanced

WASHINGTON - U.S. intelligence assessments indicate that Iranian plans to target American personnel in the Middle East have reached advanced stages, U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal.

The warning was outlined in a memo sent Friday by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to the newspaper.

The memo said Iran had “substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel,” with what it described as “lethal plotting” reaching advanced stages in the Middle East and certain other countries.

According to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. personnel have left some embassies and military bases amid heightened security concerns. Nonessential staff were ordered to depart the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia and other locations, the newspaper reported.

A U.S. official told the Journal that suspected Iranian plots were among the factors informing the decisions to withdraw personnel.

The report follows earlier accounts of changes to the U.S. military and diplomatic presence in the region. NBC News reported on Oct. 21 that the United States had quietly reduced troop numbers at bases in Jordan, Qatar and Kuwait, while also cutting staffing at several diplomatic posts.

On the same day, journalist Timour Azhari reported, citing U.S. officials, that the State Department was preparing ordered departures at embassies across the Gulf.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott disputed that account, saying it was inaccurate and that the ordered departure applied only to Saudi Arabia. He also cited attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels as a factor in the security measures.

The differing accounts highlight uncertainty surrounding the scope of the U.S. withdrawal measures and the specific threats facing American personnel across the region.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal that President Donald Trump was leaning toward resuming major combat operations. However, no final decision had been made, the newspaper reported.

The developments come amid heightened regional tensions and concerns about potential attacks on U.S. forces and diplomatic facilities. The intelligence assessment, as described by the newspaper, points to growing concern among American officials about possible Iranian operations, although the reported plots and their scope have not been independently established in the information provided.

The situation could further complicate Washington’s security posture in the Middle East as the administration weighs its military options and seeks to protect American personnel stationed across the region.

GAROWE ONLINE