US intelligence uncovers advanced Iranian threat to American personnel in West Asia

Iran has "substantially increased" its efforts to target Americans in West Asia and beyond, US Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned on Friday (Oct 23). The warning follows an order this week for non-essential US embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, amid growing attacks from Yemen's Houthis. The Iran-backed group has hit the kingdom almost daily this month. One strike, on Riyadh's international airport, was the deadliest the kingdom has seen in years.

In a memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, first reported by Axios, Clayton said the United States had received intelligence that Iran had substantially stepped up efforts to target US personnel. "The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against US citizens have reached advanced stages in both the West Asia and certain other countries," the memo said, according to a US official.

Washington had earlier ordered non-essential staff out of the Gulf before the start of its war against Iran, and again in July, before President Donald Trump called off a new wave of strikes.

The US official said embassy staffing is constantly reviewed as new information on the security environment comes in. The threat of Houthi attacks and of Iranian terror plots against US officials is informing the current decisions, the official added.

Trump suggested on Friday that the United States could resume military operations against Iran. "We may do another little Epic Fury," he said, using the American name for its attacks on Iran. He gave no indication of timing.

The conflict began in late February with US-Israeli attacks on Iran, which killed the country's supreme leader and senior military commanders.