Washington Shrinks Diplomatic Footprint as Threats to Staff Soar
New intelligence reports reveal that Iran is actively planning attacks on US personnel, prompting a major reduction in embassy staff across the Middle East.
By David Almasi ·
The risk facing American diplomats and citizens overseas has reached a critical point. A new internal assessment confirms that Iranian plans to strike US personnel are moving from theory to action.
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent a memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio detailing this shift. The document states that Iranian efforts to target Americans have grown substantially. Lethal plots in the Middle East and other regions are now in advanced stages. The New York Times and Axios first reported on this communication. Washington has not made a public statement about the memo, but one official confirmed its authenticity to the Times. Another official noted that while the intentions are real, Iran may lack the full capacity to execute every plan it has drawn up.
The timeline of this escalation traces back to the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28. Threat levels in the Middle East are now the highest since that date. President Trump mentioned on Friday that the US might engage in another intense military operation, referring to the current conflict by its codename. Speculation is rising that new campaigns could begin after the upcoming mid-term elections.
In response to these heightened risks, the State Department acted quickly. It announced on Wednesday that non-essential employees are leaving the US embassy in Saudi Arabia. This decision follows a surge in attacks on Saudi infrastructure by the Iran-backed Houthis. Reports indicate similar staff reductions are occurring at missions in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon. One US official cited both Houthi strikes and specific Iranian terror plots as the primary drivers for these moves.
Tehran has not yet responded to the intelligence memo. However, its leadership has been vocal. Revolutionary Guard spokesman Hossein Mohebbi stated on Wednesday that Iran will switch to an offensive strategy if US attacks resume. He claimed that Iranian missiles have become more powerful and have a greater range. The Pentagon has confirmed that 21 US military personnel have died in the region since the war began.
Recent reports from Reuters add another layer to the threat. Two senior Iranian security officials said Tehran has specific plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if new strikes occur. Mohsen Rezaei, Iran's security chief, warned that data centers and artificial intelligence facilities could also be hit. This aligns with a long history of US-Iran tensions, including the 2023 conviction of a Pakistani national for plotting Trump's assassination and the 2022 charges against a Guard member for attempting to kill John Bolton.
The latest move in this long-running dispute involves US bombers. They were abruptly removed from an airbase in England this month. This withdrawal followed a security incident at the site. British authorities have since arrested several men suspected of working with Iranian intelligence agencies.
