DNI warns Rubio of advanced Iranian plots to kill US officials in Middle East

A declassified intelligence memo warned Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Iranian plots to target and kill U.S. officials have "substantially increased" and reached "advanced stages" in the Middle East and other countries. The warning from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton was dated Friday. The memo follows the State Department's order for nonessential U.S. personnel to depart Saudi Arabia amid escalating attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Clayton stated that intelligence indicates Iran has intensified efforts against U.S. personnel, though the memo does not mention the evacuation. The Houthis have attacked civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including airports, wounding and killing civilians, as part of an ongoing war with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. U.S. military action in the region has amplified the conflict's impact throughout the Persian Gulf.