The U.S. State Department has announced it will reduce staffing at four embassies in the Middle East following a warning from the Director of National Intelligence that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target American personnel in the region and elsewhere. The decision comes as intelligence agencies assess that lethal plotting efforts by Iran against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages in multiple countries.
State Department confirms staffing reductions
On Friday, the State Department confirmed it is reducing personnel at U.S. embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, citing heightened security concerns. The embassies will remain operational but will operate under restricted operations status, a designation that allows for reduced staffing without a full ordered departure. Unlike in Saudi Arabia, where nonessential personnel and their families were ordered to leave this week, the reductions in these four countries do not mandate departures.
The move follows an unclassified intelligence memorandum sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, which was obtained by multiple outlets. The memo, also copied to CIA Director John Ratcliffe, states that U.S. intelligence agencies have received information through multiple channels indicating that Iran has significantly intensified its efforts to target American officials and citizens.
Intelligence memo details threats
Clayton’s memo, dated October 23, warns that the lethal plotting efforts by Iran have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries. However, the document does not specify targets, attack methods, or the exact locations outside the Middle East where the alleged plots are being developed. The memo was first reported by Axios and later confirmed by The Associated Press and CBS News, with three anonymous U.S. officials verifying its authenticity.
Clayton also indicated that the intelligence community is working to downgrade the classification of as much intelligence as possible to allow broader sharing with State Department personnel who may be at risk. Rubio was offered an additional briefing, and the memo was marked unclassified to facilitate wider dissemination.
Regional security concerns and policy responses
The staffing reductions align with broader U.S. efforts to adjust its diplomatic and military footprint in the Middle East amid escalating tensions. Earlier this week, the State Department ordered nonessential personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, citing threats from Iranian-backed forces. Additionally, the U.S. military has been paring back its presence in the region, with officials citing concerns about both direct threats from Iran and those posed by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
A U.S. official told CBS News that staffing decisions are made based on continuous evaluations of the security environment, emphasizing that the threat of Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots targeting U.S. officials are key factors in these adjustments. The State Department has not explicitly linked the staffing changes to Iran in its public statements, instead citing threats from the Houthis and regional instability.
Intelligence sharing and classified details
While the memo does not identify specific targets or methods, it underscores the gravity of the threat assessment. The intelligence was gathered through multiple channels, according to Clayton, who noted that the underlying information had already been shared with appropriately cleared senior members of Rubio’s team. The push to downgrade classification levels suggests an effort to balance operational security with the need to inform personnel who may be at risk.
The warnings come as the Trump administration weighs potential responses, including the resumption of military strikes against Iran. However, no imminent attack timeline has been indicated in the intelligence shared with Rubio or the public.
Diplomatic and military context
The staffing reductions reflect a broader pattern of caution across U.S. diplomatic and military operations in the Middle East. Embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE will continue to function but with reduced personnel, while Saudi Arabia’s embassy has seen a more drastic drawdown. The adjustments follow a series of precautionary measures taken in response to heightened regional tensions, including the Houthi rebel attacks and Iran’s alleged involvement in plotting against U.S. targets.
U.S. officials have reiterated that these steps are precautionary and do not indicate an imminent crisis, though the intelligence memo suggests that the threat environment has become increasingly volatile.