Rubio Told Iran Is Preparing Lethal Strikes on Americans

Washington has escalated its warning on threats to American personnel abroad. A new intelligence assessment indicates that Iranian planning for lethal attacks has moved past the conceptual phase.

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent a memorandum to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on October 23. The document confirms that Iranian efforts to target US officials and citizens have intensified sharply. Clayton wrote that these lethal plotting efforts have reached advanced stages in the Middle East and specific other countries.

The memo was marked unclassified but did not identify specific targets, attack methods, or non-Middle Eastern locations. Clayton noted that the underlying intelligence was already shared with senior members of Rubio's team who had the appropriate security clearances. He offered Rubio an additional briefing to discuss the findings further.

Clayton stated that he would work to downgrade the classification of the intelligence. This step would allow Rubio to share the details with a wider group of State Department staff who might face risks. The information is currently limited to those with high-level access due to sensitivity concerns.

State Department officials confirmed receipt of the memo on Friday. This followed reports that the department is reducing its diplomatic presence in several Middle Eastern nations. Washington ordered nonessential government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia earlier this week. That order came after an escalation in attacks by Iranian-backed Houthis.

Further staff reductions were ordered at embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar, and Jordan. Some diplomats had recently returned to these posts after earlier evacuations during the Iran war. The US is also weighing military options while continuing diplomatic efforts to secure a deal with Tehran.

President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States could conduct another operation similar to Operation Epic Fury. He stated that this action might occur if Iran does not reach an agreement, adding that the US may do another little Epic Fury or the country will agree.