US Spies Warn That Iranian Attacks on Americans Are Nearly Ready

The number of advanced plots against American lives has reached a critical tipping point according to a new intelligence assessment. A memo dated October 23, which was sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, confirms that Iranian efforts to target US officials and citizens have intensified significantly. The document indicates that these lethal plotting efforts are no longer in the early conceptual phase but have moved to advanced stages in both the Middle East and several other countries.

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent the memorandum directly to Rubio, with a copy also going to CIA Director John Ratcliffe. The information within the memo was gathered through multiple intelligence channels. It highlights a substantial increase in the push by Tehran to strike at American personnel. Clayton noted in the text that the threat level has escalated to a point where immediate attention is required from top leadership.

One of the key concerns raised in the document is the distribution of this intelligence. Clayton cautioned that the information regarding plots against government personnel is currently relevant to a wider group of people than those who are currently cleared to see it. To address this gap, he noted that the underlying details had already been shared with appropriately cleared senior members of the State Department team. He also offered Rubio an additional briefing to ensure the secretary is fully up to speed on the specifics.

Clayton promised to make every effort to downgrade the classification of as much of the intelligence as possible. This procedural step would allow Rubio to share the warning more widely with State Department staff who might be at risk. The memo itself was marked as unclassified. It did not name specific targets, detail the methods of attack, or identify any countries outside the Middle East where plots were allegedly being developed.

This warning arrives as the State Department is actively scaling back its diplomatic presence in several Middle Eastern countries. The department cites fears of Iranian retaliation and the possibility of renewed US military operations against Tehran as the primary drivers for these changes. Earlier this week, Washington ordered nonessential government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia. This decision followed an escalation in attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis.

Further staff reductions have been ordered at embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar, and Jordan. These moves are part of a broader strategy to minimize the footprint of US personnel in regions where the threat of an attack is considered high. The goal is to reduce the number of Americans who could be caught in the crossfire or targeted in a coordinated strike.

CNN reported on Friday that the United States is speeding up the departure of diplomats and their families from several regional posts. Some of these personnel had only recently returned to their posts after evacuations earlier in the Iran war. The network added that Israel has urged Washington to launch new strikes on Iran sooner, but those efforts have not succeeded so far in changing the US timeline.

President Donald Trump kept the possibility of further military action open during remarks on Friday. He stated that the United States could carry out another operation similar to Operation Epic Fury if Tehran does not reach an agreement. "We may do another little Epic Fury. Or they'll agree," Trump said. This statement signals that diplomatic pressure and military readiness are being pursued in parallel.

The memo underscores a growing concern within the US government for the safety of diplomatic personnel. As Washington weighs additional military options while continuing diplomatic efforts to secure a deal with Iran, the intelligence picture is becoming more urgent. The shift to advanced stages of planning suggests that if an attack occurs, it may happen sooner rather than later.

For now, the focus remains on protecting those on the ground while negotiations continue. The intelligence community is working to refine the data and lower classification levels to help state department staff prepare. The situation remains fluid, with both diplomatic and military channels active in response to the heightened threat from Iran.