21 US Troops Dead as Intelligence Flags Advanced Iranian Plots Against Americans

United States intelligence agencies have determined that Iran is in the advanced stages of planning lethal attacks on American personnel abroad. This assessment appears in an internal memo sent by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The document indicates that Tehran has substantially increased its efforts to target US citizens overseas, with specific plots reaching an advanced phase in the Middle East and other countries.

The warning has placed American staff in the region on high alert. Officials told The New York Times that threats to US officials, including ambassadors, have been assessed in recent weeks. Intelligence suggests that Iran has identified potential targets in Europe and that Iranian operatives are currently active inside the United States. Washington has not publicly commented on the memo, though one official confirmed its authenticity to the Times. Another official noted that while Iran has ambitious plans, it lacks the capacity to execute all of them.

The current threat level for US citizens in the Middle East is the highest since the war between the US, Israel, and Iran began on February 28. This escalation occurs as the US and Israel prepare for a potential new military campaign after the November mid-term elections. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that the US may engage in another "little epic fury," a codename associated with the current conflict.

In response to the heightened risk, the State Department announced on Wednesday that it is removing non-essential staff from its embassy in Saudi Arabia. The decision cites escalating attacks on Saudi infrastructure by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. CNN reported that similar quiet staff reductions are occurring at embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon. A US official attributed these moves to Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots targeting US officials.

Iran has not responded directly to the intelligence memo. However, its officials have repeatedly threatened US and allied military bases in the region. The Pentagon confirmed that 21 US military personnel have been killed in the Middle East since the war began. On Wednesday, Revolutionary Guard spokesman Hossein Mohebbi declared that Tehran would adopt a new offensive strategy if the US resumed attacks. He stated that Iran would no longer limit itself to retaliation and that the quality, range, and power of Iranian missiles had improved.

Reuters reported that two senior Iranian security officials detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if new US-Israeli attacks occur. Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei warned that cables, data centers, and artificial intelligence facilities across the region could also be struck if the war resumes.

US authorities have long accused Iran of plotting against Americans. In March, a US court convicted a Pakistani national of plotting to assassinate President Trump and other politicians on orders from the Revolutionary Guard. In 2022, a Guard member was charged with arranging the killing of former national security adviser John Bolton, allegedly offering $300,000 to individuals in the US to carry it out. Last year, the US intelligence community stated that Iran would continue to directly threaten US persons globally, particularly those involved in the 2020 killing of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani.

This month, US authorities abruptly pulled bombers from an airbase in England due to fears of a possible attack. The move followed a security incident at the base, after which UK authorities arrested several men on suspicion of working with Iranian intelligence.