WorldPosted at: Oct 24 2026 5:57PM


US intelligence discovers Iran 'substantially increased' efforts to target American diplomats in West Asia & beyond

Washington, Oct 24 (UNI) US intelligence has found that Iran has "substantially increased" efforts to target American diplomats and officials in West Asia and beyond, with alleged assassination plots reaching "advanced stages", according to an October 23 memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio obtained by Axios.
The warning comes as Washington reduces staffing at several diplomatic missions across the region amid fears of a wider conflict, including the possibility of renewed US and Israeli strikes on Iran after the November 3 midterm elections.
In the one-page, unclassified memo, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton told Rubio that intelligence on Iranian assassination plots needed to be shared with more US personnel than are currently authorised to receive it.
The document did not identify specific targets, countries outside West Asia or details of the alleged plots, but said the underlying intelligence had already been shared with senior State Department officials.
Clayton offered to downgrade as much of the sensitive material as possible to allow Rubio to alert a wider group of potentially exposed personnel.
The New York Times reported, citing US officials, that American intelligence agencies had assessed the threat to US personnel in West Asia and several other countries as being at its highest level since the war began in February.
Trump and senior aides have received regular briefings, while analysts have spent the past three weeks examining threats to American officials, including ambassadors, a US official told the newspaper.
The Times also reported that intelligence suggested Iran might have operatives in the US and that potential targets could include locations in Europe. However, another official said Tehran had limited capabilities to carry out attacks overseas, with its ambitions exceeding its ability to execute them.
Earlier this month, the US Air Force withdrew bombers stationed at RAF Fairford in Britain after receiving information about Iranian plans to attack the installation.
The State Department has ordered reductions in diplomatic and government personnel at US embassies in the UAE, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan, a US official said on Friday. The missions remain open, with the changes limiting staffing to essential personnel.
"We decided that due to the threat of Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots we need to reduce our footprint and keep only essential staff," the official said.
Earlier in the week, the department ordered family members and non-essential personnel to leave the US Embassy in Riyadh and the consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran. Unlike in Saudi Arabia, staff in the other four countries have not been ordered to leave.
When announcing the staffing reductions, the State Department specifically cited increased threats from Yemen's Houthi rebels, without directly mentioning Iranian threats to US personnel. Washington is also concerned that the Iran-backed group could expand its attacks beyond Saudi Arabia.
Fighting between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition has intensified, with the group launching missile and drone attacks against Saudi Arabia. A strike on Riyadh's international airport on October 10 reportedly killed at least 12 people and wounded hundreds.
US officials have denied that the diplomatic drawdowns are connected to preparations for possible new American and Israeli strikes on Iran. The conflict has driven up energy costs for Americans and created political difficulties for Trump and Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.
The New York Times has reported that Washington and Jerusalem have drawn up plans for renewed strikes on Iran after the US elections, although Trump has not made a final decision on whether to proceed.
Speaking at a rally in Florida on Friday, Trump raised the prospect of further military action, saying "We may do another little Operation Epic Fury, or they'll agree."
"If they're smart, they'll just say, 'Let's get down to business', but I doubt they will do that because perhaps they're not smart," he added.
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