Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton wrote in an unclassified memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that the U.S. "received intelligence that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel."
"The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries," the memo, the veracity of which was confirmed to Scripps News by a U.S. official, continues.
SEE MORE | US orders diplomats, families to leave Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks escalate
Scripps News reported earlier this week of staffing reductions taking place in embassies across the Middle East, amid an escalation in attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. On Wednesday, officials confirmed the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia was put on "ordered departure" status, requiring all non-emergency personnel to depart. Other embassies in the region were already functioning under "restricted operating status" - a new designation intended to give posts more flexibility to respond to changing situations on the ground - also sent some additional staff home in recent days.
U.S. officials initially sought to frame the staffing adjustments as predominately in response to escalations by the Houthis, though the memo suggests threats from Iran have also reached "advanced stages."
"When it comes to our staffing at embassies, we constantly evaluate new information about the security environment," a U.S. official said Friday. "The threat of Houthi attacks and of Iranian terror plots targeting U.S. officials are informing our decisions on staffing adjustments for embassies on RO Status in the region."
During his rally in Florida today, President Donald Trump mused that "we may do another little Epic Fury," though the president and White House officials earlier this month suggested no additional strikes on Iran would take place before the midterms.
Clayton's memo was first reported by Axios.
