Iran Spent $2 Billion More on Kill Plots Against Americans, DNI Memo Shows

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned that Iran has substantially increased its efforts to target U.S. personnel overseas. The unclassified memo, dated Friday, states that Iranian plots to kill Americans have progressed to advanced stages.

Clayon wrote that these lethal efforts have reached advanced stages in the Middle East and certain other countries. The document was addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with CIA Director John Ratcliffe copied on the communication. Axios was the first outlet to report on the memo's contents.

The intelligence community is currently working to downgrade the classification of sensitive data. This step will allow State Department staff to share the information more widely. The memo does not name specific targets or identify the countries where the plots are being developed. It also does not confirm whether any attack is imminent.

The warning arrives as the Trump administration considers resuming military strikes against Iran. Security precautions at American diplomatic and military sites in the region have tightened. The State Department ordered non-essential embassy personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia earlier this week. Several other U.S. embassies in the region shifted to restricted operations status, allowing them to reduce personnel without a formal departure order.

A U.S. official told CBS News that the department constantly evaluates new information about the security environment. The official noted that the threat of Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots shapes staffing decisions at embassies under restricted operations. Both a U.S. official and a senior military official said the military has been quietly shrinking its presence at Middle East posts due to continuing threats.

Houthi militants, backed by Iran, have targeted Saudi oil infrastructure and airports. One strike earlier this month on Riyadh's King Khalid Airport killed people, including a U.S. citizen, and injured hundreds. Last weekend, U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates took steps in response to these attacks.

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