American intelligence agencies have warned that Iran is escalating efforts to assassinate U.S. officials and diplomats overseas, with some suspected operations already approaching advanced stages of preparation. The alarming intelligence has prompted Washington to reduce staffing at several diplomatic missions across the Middle East amid growing fears of another military confrontation with Tehran.

According to an Axios report, the warning was contained in an intelligence memorandum dated October 23 and sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The document states that Iranian assassination activities have “substantially increased,” with some of the suspected plots reaching “advanced stages.”

The intelligence points to possible attacks against American personnel both within the Middle East and in other parts of the world. However, the memorandum does not publicly identify the intended victims, provide details about the suspected assassination plans, or specify which countries outside the region may be involved.

The State Department has already begun implementing precautionary measures at American diplomatic facilities. Earlier in the week, Washington directed family members and nonessential employees to depart from the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as well as the American consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran.

The security measures were expanded Friday, when additional staffing reductions were ordered at U.S. diplomatic missions in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar, and Jordan, according to an American official quoted by Axios.

Unlike the departure orders affecting designated personnel and family members in Saudi Arabia, the American embassies in the four other countries have not been subjected to mandatory evacuations. Those diplomatic missions remain operational, although they are functioning under heightened restrictions.

The intelligence warning originated with Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, who sent the October 23 memorandum to Rubio and copied CIA Director John Ratcliffe. The document, which was also reviewed by Reuters and CBS News, describes a growing threat to Americans serving abroad and raises concerns about whether enough government personnel have access to the intelligence needed to protect themselves.

Clayton wrote that U.S. intelligence agencies had received information through multiple channels indicating that Tehran was pursuing increasingly serious operations against American personnel.

“The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries,” the intelligence chief warned.

The memorandum also indicates that senior State Department officials have already been briefed on the underlying intelligence. Clayton expressed concern, however, that the information should reach a wider group of personnel who may be exposed to the threats.

To address that problem, he offered to work toward lowering the classification of as much of the intelligence as possible, enabling Rubio to distribute additional warnings to American diplomatic and government employees who would otherwise lack the necessary security clearances.

The effort reflects the urgency of the situation, as intelligence agencies seek to ensure that officials potentially facing assassination threats are informed without compromising sensitive intelligence sources or methods.

An American official confirmed that the State Department’s latest personnel decisions were influenced by intelligence concerning Iranian assassination efforts, as well as threats from the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen.

The official explained that Washington continuously reassesses security conditions at diplomatic posts and adjusts staffing when circumstances warrant additional precautions.

“When it comes to our staffing at embassies, we constantly evaluate new information about the security environment,” the official said.

“The threat of Houthi attacks and of Iranian terror plots targeting US officials are informing our decisions on staffing adjustments for embassies on RO Status in the region,” the official added.

The restrictions come amid an increasingly dangerous security environment across the Middle East, where Iranian-backed groups have continued threatening American interests and commercial shipping.

The Houthis have intensified attacks in the region, while shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz has faced renewed threats and disruptions. The developments have heightened concern about the possibility of a broader confrontation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

The State Department also updated travel advisories Saturday for more than a dozen countries across the Middle East, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Iraq, citing increased threats associated with Iranian-backed Houthi activity.

The latest warnings arrive as the Trump administration considers whether to resume large-scale military operations against Iran following the American midterm elections on November 3.

American military planners have reportedly been preparing options for renewed strikes, including the possible deployment of additional naval forces to the region. The Washington Post reported that preparations could involve as many as three aircraft carriers and their accompanying warships, providing the administration with additional military options.

The possibility of renewed fighting has become a major concern for American diplomats and military personnel stationed throughout the Middle East, particularly as Tehran signals that it may respond more aggressively to another round of U.S. attacks.

Earlier this month, Iranian officials warned that the country was preparing a more forceful response if Washington resumed major strikes against Iranian territory.

President Donald Trump addressed the possibility of additional military action during a campaign rally in Florida on Friday, suggesting that Iran could avoid another American operation by reaching an agreement with Washington.

“We may do another little Operation Epic Fury, or [the Iranians] will agree [to a deal],” Trump said. “If they’re smart, they will just say, ‘Let’s get down to business,’ but I doubt they will do that because perhaps they’re not smart.”

The president’s remarks followed reports that American and Israeli officials have been considering the timing and scope of possible additional military action against Iran.

Although Washington has not announced a decision to launch another operation, the combination of military preparations, Iranian threats, and new intelligence concerning assassination plots has placed American personnel overseas on heightened alert.

The intelligence memorandum does not establish that an assassination attempt is imminent, and officials have not disclosed whether the suspected plots are directed at particular diplomats, military personnel, or other American government representatives.

Nevertheless, the warning that some operations have progressed to advanced stages has prompted the State Department to take additional precautions while intelligence agencies work to distribute the threat information more broadly.