US intelligence warns Iran's plots to kill Americans abroad reach advanced stages

US intelligence has warned that Iran has "substantially increased" efforts to target American personnel, with lethal plots reaching "advanced stages" in the Middle East and other countries, according to an October 23 memo obtained by Axios. The unclassified memo from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited intelligence indicating an elevated threat to US citizens overseas, prompting Washington to reduce staff at multiple diplomatic missions across the Middle East, including in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Lebanon, Qatar, and Jordan. The warning comes as President Donald Trump raised the possibility of renewed military action against Iran, referencing "Operation Epic Fury," while the ongoing war and rising fuel prices pressure American consumers ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.