The State Department is adjusting personnel levels at its missions in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, while maintaining operations at those posts. The changes follow an order requiring non-emergency American government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia.
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton outlined the Iranian threat in an unclassified memorandum sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, October 23. He said US intelligence agencies had identified a substantial increase in Iranian efforts to target American personnel overseas.
Clayton warned that lethal plots against US citizens had reached advanced stages in the Middle East and certain other countries. The memorandum did not identify potential targets, specify the countries outside the region or establish whether an attack was imminent.
The intelligence chief also indicated that agencies were working to make sensitive information available to a wider group of State Department employees. CIA Director John Ratcliffe was copied on the memorandum, reflecting coordination between intelligence and diplomatic security authorities.
An American official said threats attributed to Iran and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement were influencing staffing decisions at embassies already operating under restrictions. The State Department has not publicly detailed the number of personnel affected at the four missions.
The distinction between the measures is significant. Personnel designated for departure from Saudi Arabia must leave, whereas staff at the other four embassies are not subject to equivalent mandatory orders. Those missions remain open, although their restricted status permits reduced staffing and services.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Wednesday that the compulsory departure order applied to Saudi Arabia only. He linked the decision to escalating Houthi attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure, which had caused casualties and serious travel disruption.
The American embassy in Riyadh warned of possible additional strikes and urged caution over airport travel. US diplomatic facilities elsewhere in the Gulf also issued security alerts as missiles and drones threatened transport networks and energy installations.
Saudi Arabia has experienced a series of attacks claimed by the Houthis. Authorities confirmed fatalities and injuries following a strike at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, while other incidents have disrupted aviation and raised concerns about the safety of essential infrastructure.
The attacks have sharpened the security challenge facing Washington’s diplomatic network. American officials must assess threats from armed groups operating across borders alongside intelligence suggesting that Iranian operatives may be preparing attacks directly against US citizens.
Iran has not been publicly linked through disclosed evidence to specific assassination preparations described in Clayton’s memorandum. The intelligence assessment represents the US government’s judgement, rather than independently established proof of individual plots or identified perpetrators.
The staffing changes come amid uncertainty over whether Washington and Tehran can avoid another round of direct military confrontation. President Donald Trump raised the possibility of further strikes during a political rally in Florida on Friday, while leaving open the prospect of an agreement.
Trump referred to the American military campaign launched against Iran in February and suggested another operation could follow if negotiations failed. His comments added to concern over the potential consequences of renewed fighting for diplomatic facilities and commercial shipping.
US officials have nevertheless rejected suggestions that the embassy staffing reductions are preparations for imminent American or Israeli strikes. They have identified the immediate security environment, including threats to diplomats and Houthi operations, as the basis for the adjustments.
Diplomatic missions operating with smaller teams can continue essential functions while limiting exposure of staff and dependants. Restricted operations do not automatically mean embassy closures, and the State Department has not announced the suspension of diplomatic relations with any of the affected countries.
The US embassy in Riyadh had already been operating with a reduced complement following earlier attacks during the conflict. Some personnel had subsequently returned before the latest mandatory departure instruction was issued.
The Saudi order covers eligible non-emergency government employees and accompanying family members at American missions in the kingdom, including consular posts. No corresponding compulsory departure has been announced for the four other embassies. The instructions followed security reviews involving diplomatic missions and personnel stationed across the region.
Follow Arabian Post
Select Arabian Post as your preferred source on Google and MSN News for trusted business news and Arab politics and updates.
