Iran advances attack plans against Americans, officials warn

U.S. officials say Iran is in advanced stages of planning attacks against Americans, prompting heightened alerts and reduced embassy staffing across the Middle East and other regions. Intelligence Director Jay Clayton warned Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a memo that Iran has "substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel," with lethal plotting reaching advanced stages. Officials assess the threat is the highest since the war began in February, with potential targets including Europe and possibly operatives in the U.S. The alerts follow an eight-month U.S.-Israeli war against Iran that has spiked energy prices. The State Department has ordered departures of nonessential employees from Saudi Arabia and placed most Middle East missions on restricted operating status, though one official cautioned Iran's capability to strike overseas may be limited.