Threat Assessment: DNI warns Iran is accelerating plots against Americans abroad

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton informed Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that Iran has substantially increased its efforts to target U.S. personnel overseas. The unclassified memo, which was also copied to CIA Director John Ratcliffe, states that Iranian plots to kill Americans have progressed to advanced stages in the Middle East and other countries.

The warning coincides with a series of security adjustments at American diplomatic and military sites. Earlier in the week, the State Department ordered non-essential embassy staff and their families to depart Saudi Arabia. Several other U.S. embassies in the region switched to restricted operations status, a designation that allows for reduced staffing without a formal departure order.

A U.S. official told CBS News that the department constantly evaluates the security environment. The official noted that Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots are shaping staffing decisions at embassies currently operating under restricted status. A senior U.S. military official confirmed that the military has been quietly shrinking its presence at posts in the Middle East due to continuing threats.

The intelligence memo does not name specific targets or countries where the plots are developing, nor does it indicate if an attack is imminent. Clayton added that the intelligence community is working to downgrade the classification of sensitive data gathered through various channels so it can be shared more widely with State Department staff.

This development arrives as the administration weighs a resumption of military strikes against Iran. Houthi militants, backed by Tehran, have targeted Saudi oil infrastructure and airports. One strike on Riyadh's King Khalid Airport earlier this month killed a U.S. citizen and hundreds of others. U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates took protective steps last weekend in response to these attacks.

Although the United States and Iran have avoided direct strikes in recent weeks, President Trump has not ruled out restarting hostilities after next month's midterm elections. Iran continues to claim responsibility for attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Florida on Friday, Trump suggested another operation could follow if Tehran does not reach an agreement. We may do another little Epic Fury, or they'll agree, the president said, referring to the U.S. military campaign launched in February.