Washington:US intelligence has revealed that Iran has significantly increased its efforts to target American officials in the Middle East and beyond, with lethal plots progressing to advanced stages. This information was reported by US news outlet Axios.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, a memo dated October 23 from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlights that the details are pertinent to more personnel than are currently authorized to access it. Although the one-page unclassified memo does not specify targets, the countries involved outside the Middle East, or the nature of the plots, it has been shared with senior State Department staff. Clayton has offered to downgrade the intelligence to enable Rubio to disseminate it more broadly.

In response to these threats, the State Department has ordered family members and nonessential staff to leave the US Embassy in Riyadh and the consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran. Additionally, instructions have been given to US embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar, and Jordan to reduce their diplomatic and government personnel. A US official cited intelligence as a key reason for this reduction, emphasizing the threats of Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots as factors necessitating a minimized diplomatic presence to ensure safety.

In a related development, President Donald Trump mentioned at a campaign rally in Florida that the US might consider launching another attack on Iran, indicating the heightened tensions between the two countries.