Iran spends $2B more on plots to kill US staff, spy chief says
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton told Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Iranian efforts to target Americans abroad have reached advanced stages.
By David Almasi ·
American personnel abroad face a heightened threat as Iran increased its budget for lethal plots by $2 billion, according to an unclassified memo from the Director of National Intelligence. Jay Clayton issued the warning on Friday, stating that Iranian efforts to target U.S. citizens have "substantially increased" in the Middle East and other regions.
The memo, addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and copied to CIA Director John Ratcliffe, details that these plotting efforts have reached "advanced stages." Clayton noted that the intelligence community is working to declassify sensitive information to share it more broadly with State Department staff. The document did not name specific targets or countries where the plots are developing, nor did it indicate if an attack is imminent.
This intelligence update arrives as the administration weighs resuming military strikes against Iran. Security precautions have intensified at U.S. diplomatic and military sites in the region. Earlier this week, the State Department ordered non-essential embassy personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia. Several other embassies in the region switched to "restricted operations" status, allowing them to reduce staffing without formally ordering a departure.
A U.S. official told CBS News that the department "constantly" evaluates new security information. The official cited the threat of Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots as key factors in staffing decisions. Military officials also confirmed that the U.S. has quietly reduced its presence at posts in the Middle East due to continuing threats.
Houthi militants, backed by Iran, have targeted oil infrastructure and airports in Saudi Arabia. A strike on Riyadh's King Khalid Airport earlier this month killed several people, including a U.S. citizen, and injured hundreds. In response, U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates took security steps last weekend.
Although the U.S. and Iran have avoided direct strikes in recent weeks, President Trump has not ruled out restarting hostilities after the midterm elections next month. Iran continues to claim responsibility for attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
At a campaign rally in Florida on Friday, President Trump suggested further military action if Tehran does not reach an agreement. "We may do another little Epic Fury, or they'll agree," he said, referencing the U.S. military campaign launched in February.
