Iran allegedly steps up assassination plots against US officials amid regional tensions

Iran has intensified efforts to assassinate senior U.S. officials, according to an intelligence memo sent to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Axios reported. In a memo dated Oct. 23, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned that Tehran had “substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel” and that potentially lethal plots had reached “advanced stages.”

The intelligence warning comes as CNN reported that Washington is reducing its diplomatic presence in several Middle East countries amid Iranian-backed Houthi attacks across the region. The United States began relocating nonessential diplomatic personnel and their families from Saudi Arabia, while also scaling back its diplomatic presence in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The memo sent to Rubio does not specify potential targets or identify countries outside the Middle East that could be involved in the alleged Iranian assassination plots. Clayton is reportedly concerned that the warning is not reaching all U.S. personnel in the region. He offered to lower the memo’s classification level, allowing Rubio to share the warning more widely with U.S. officials serving overseas.

The Trump administration is reportedly considering resuming military strikes against Iran. Tehran has vowed to retaliate against U.S. allies and American interests across the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets recently flew close to the Iranian border in what Israel described as a deterrence exercise ahead of Israel’s election this week on Oct. 27. The Israeli government has warned that it will respond forcefully to any Iranian attack.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump signaled that Washington could launch further military strikes against Iran, saying, “We may do another little Epic Fury,” referring to the U.S. military operation launched against Iran on Feb. 28.

Nikki Gamer, a spokesperson for the American Foreign Service Association, criticized the uncertainty facing U.S. diplomats and their families across the Middle East.

“Families deserve to know how they will pay for a place to live before they board a plane,” Gamer said.

The U.S. State Department acknowledged the challenges and said it was working to assist diplomats and their families with potential disruptions to their daily lives.

The Houthis have launched missile and drone attacks against Saudi airports and other civilian facilities. U.S. officials are reportedly concerned that Tehran could direct the group to expand its attacks beyond Saudi Arabia to include U.S. diplomatic and military assets.