US pulls staff from seven Middle East posts as Iran threats escalate
A classified memo warns of advanced plots against American personnel, prompting immediate reductions at embassies in Saudi Arabia and six other countries.
By Mei Ling ·
American employees at seven diplomatic posts in the Middle East will see a reduced presence starting this week. The State Department confirmed on Wednesday that it is removing non-essential staff from the embassy in Saudi Arabia. Quiet reductions are also underway at missions in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon.
These cuts follow a classified memo from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Clayton wrote that US agencies have gathered intelligence showing Iran has substantially increased efforts to target US personnel overseas. The memo states that lethal plots have reached advanced stages in the Middle East and other countries.
The warning places American staff on high alert. Officials told The New York Times that threats to US citizens in the region are now at their highest level since the war between the US and Israel began on February 28. A US official told the paper that Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots are driving the staffing decisions.
Intelligence assessments indicate that Iran has lined up potential targets in Europe. Some reports suggest Iranian operatives are already active inside the United States. Washington has not commented publicly on the memo, though one official confirmed its authenticity to The Times.
Another official played down the immediate danger. That official said Iran lacks the capacity to follow through on all its ambitions, despite the advanced nature of the plots. The assessment arrives as the US and Israel prepare for potential military action following next month's mid-term elections.
President Donald Trump said on Friday that the US may do another little epic fury. He used the codename for the ongoing conflict. Iran has not responded to the Clayton memo. However, Revolutionary Guard spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said on Wednesday that Tehran would adopt a new offensive strategy if the US renewed attacks.
Mohebbi added that the quality, range, and power of Iranian missiles have improved. The Pentagon has confirmed that 21 US military personnel have been killed in the Middle East since the war began. Reuters reported that Tehran has detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if new attacks occur.
Source: Al Jazeera
