Washington trims Middle East diplomatic teams as Iran threat levels rise

The State Department announced on Wednesday that it is withdrawing non-essential personnel from its embassy in Saudi Arabia. The move cites growing attacks on Saudi infrastructure by Yemen’s Houthi group. This decision follows reports of similar quiet staff reductions at US missions in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon. A US official told The New York Times that Houthi aggression and Iranian terror plots targeting US officials are the primary drivers behind these staffing changes.

The diplomatic pullback arrives as US intelligence agencies warn that Iran is in the advanced stages of planning attacks against American personnel abroad. According to an internal memo cited by Axios and The New York Times, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton informed Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Iran has substantially increased its efforts to target US staff. The memo indicates that lethal plots are reaching a critical phase in the Middle East and other regions. Washington has not publicly commented on the document, though one official confirmed its authenticity to The Times.

The current threat level for US citizens in the Middle East is assessed as the highest since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28. Intelligence suggests that threats to ambassadors and other senior officials have been identified in recent weeks. Some reports indicate that Iran has already lined up potential targets in Europe, while other intelligence points to Iranian operatives being active within the United States. One official noted that while Iran has ambitions, it may lack the capacity to execute all of its plans.

President Donald Trump addressed the situation on Friday, stating that the US may launch another operation using the war’s codename. This comment came amid reports that the US and Israel are preparing a new military campaign after the upcoming mid-term elections. The timing creates a tense backdrop for the diplomatic reductions, as Washington balances the need to protect its staff with the signaling of continued military readiness.

Iran has not directly responded to the latest intelligence memo. However, its officials have maintained a hard line. Hossein Mohebbi, a spokesman for the Revolutionary Guard, said on Wednesday that Tehran would adopt a new offensive strategy if US attacks resume. He claimed that Iranian missiles have improved in quality, range, and power. The Pentagon has confirmed that 21 US military personnel have been killed in the region since the war started.

Further reports from Reuters indicate that Tehran has detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if new strikes occur. Mohsen Rezaei, Iran’s security chief, warned that data centers and artificial intelligence facilities across the region could also be hit. These threats add a layer of economic and digital risk to the broader geopolitical standoff.

The current escalation fits a long-standing pattern of US accusations regarding Iranian plots. In March, a Pakistani national was convicted of plotting to assassinate Trump and other politicians on orders from the Revolutionary Guard. A similar plot targeting former adviser John Bolton was charged in 2022. Earlier this month, US authorities pulled bombers from an airbase in England following a security incident that led to arrests linked to Iranian intelligence.