According to a report by The New York Times on October 24th, American intelligence agencies have recently warned that Iran is intensifying its plans to carry out attacks against American officials. The potential threat does not only concern the Middle East; it could also extend to the United States and Europe. The US believes that the threat posed by Iran to American personnel has reached its highest level since the conflict began in February this year.
Reports indicate that over the past three weeks, U.S. intelligence analysts have been assessing potential threats to U.S. officials, including foreign ambassadors. An American official revealed that some intelligence suggests Iran may have operatives on U.S. soil. Other U.S. officials stated that Iran’s attack plans also involve potential targets in Europe.
Trump and his senior aides have regularly received intelligence reports. However, another American official acknowledged that Iran has limited capabilities to launch attacks in the United States and other overseas areas. Their intent to carry out attacks exceeds their actual capabilities.
On October 23, Jay Clayton, the Director of National Intelligence of the United States, warned in a memorandum to Secretary of State Rubio that Iran has significantly increased its efforts to target American personnel.
Clayton claimed: “Iran’s plans for lethal attacks against American citizens have entered a final stage in the Middle East and some other countries.”
This memo was first disclosed by the American news website Axios, and the Trump administration later confirmed its authenticity.
In response to these threats, the US has begun adjusting its military deployments and the allocation of diplomatic personnel. The New York Times reported that in early October, the US military withdrew all 12 B-1 bombers deployed at the RAF Fort Worth base after receiving intelligence indicating an potential attack by Iran on that base.
On October 21, the United States Department of State ordered the evacuation of non-essential staff and their families from diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, and gradually adjusted the staffing levels at other Middle Eastern diplomatic institutions. The US Department of State also updated travel warnings for 13 Middle Eastern countries, stating that the attacks by the Houthi rebels in Yemen are escalating, and the threats posed by Iranian drones and missile attacks continue to exist.
On February 28th of this year, the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran. In response, Iran fired missiles and drones at Israel and several Arab countries in the Middle East.
The New York Times previously reported that the United States and Israel have planned a new military strike against Iran after the U.S. midterm elections on November 3rd, but Trump has not yet made a final decision. The nearly eight-month conflict with Iran has increased global energy prices and has also undermined Trump’s domestic support ratings.
