The US national intelligence director, Jay Clayton, has issued a warning about Iran's heightened efforts to target American personnel in the Middle East and beyond. In a memo seen by the BBC, Clayton stated that Iran's "lethal plotting efforts against US citizens have reached advanced stages" in multiple regions. This assessment comes as the US State Department adjusts staffing at diplomatic posts, including the recent ordered departure of non-emergency embassy staff from Saudi Arabia.
The move follows escalating attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis against Saudi Arabia, which have killed at least 21 people since the start of October. A missile strike on Riyadh's international airport on October 10th was particularly deadly, claiming 13 lives and injuring 308 others. The Houthis claim these attacks are retaliation for what they describe as a Saudi blockade and an air strike on Sanaa airport.
The current conflict in Yemen has intensified after a four-year informal ceasefire began to unravel in July. The Houthis imposed a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia and launched missile and drone attacks, resulting in 155 civilian deaths, according to the Houthi-run health ministry. This regional tension is part of a broader Middle Eastern conflict that escalated after the US and Israel launched an air campaign against Iran in February.
The situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas transport, has contributed to surging oil prices. A preliminary agreement between the US and Iran to end the war and reopen the strait collapsed in June, leading to renewed Iranian attacks on shipping and a US reinstated blockade.