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Iran has increased efforts to target U.S. personnel in the Middle East and other countries, according to a memo sent by the Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday. The memo warned that “the lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages.” NBC News’ Matt Bradley reports.

The head of U.S. intelligence warned Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that Iranian plans to target and kill U.S. citizens abroad have reached “advanced stages.” Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent a memo alerting that “lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages” in the Middle East […]

In a memo sent Friday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton said his teams "have received intelligence that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel."

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that Iranian efforts to target American personnel abroad have intensified and that plots to kill U.S. citizens have reached “advanced stages,” as the Trump administration reduces staffing at several diplomatic missions across the Middle East. “Through various channels, we have received ...

Iran has increased efforts to target U.S. personnel in the Middle East and other countries, according to a memo sent by the Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday.

An intelligence memo sent to Marco Rubio reveals Iranian plots to kill Americans have reached advanced stages in the Middle East and other countries.

Iranian plots to target and kill U.S. officials in the Middle East have "substantially increased," according to a declassified intelligence memo dated Friday, with these efforts reportedly reaching "advanced stages." The warning, addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, came days after the State Department ordered the departure...

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned in a memo to Secretary of State Rubio that Iran has "substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel," and the plots have "reached advanced stages."

U.S. intelligence finds Iran has "substantially increased" its efforts to target American diplomats and officials in the Middle East and beyond, with lethal plots reaching "advanced stages," according to an Oct. 23 memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio obtained by Axios. Why it matters: U.S. officials say the intelligence is one reason the State Department is drawing down personnel at several American embassies across the Middle East, amid mounting fears of a broader regional conflict. U.S. officials also fear that Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen could expand their attacks beyond Saudi Arabia to other countries in the region. Adding to the volatile security environment is the prospect of renewed U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran, potentially after the midterm elections. What they're saying: "We may do another little Operation Epic Fury, or [the Iranians] will agree [to a deal]," President Trump said at a rally in Florida on Friday. "If they're smart, they will just say, 'Let's get down to business,' but I doubt they will do that because perhaps they're not smart." Driving the news: In the one-page, unclassified memo obtained by Axios, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned Rubio that intelligence about Iranian assassination plots needs to reach more U.S. personnel than are currently authorized to receive it. The memo does not identify specific targets, countries outside the Middle East or the nature of the plots, but says the underlying intelligence has already been shared with senior State Department officials. Clayton offered to downgrade as much of the sensitive intelligence as possible so Rubio could share it more widely with personnel potentially at risk. State of play: Earlier this week, the State Department ordered family members and nonessential personnel to leave the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran. On Friday, the department also ordered reductions in U.S. diplomatic and government personnel at embassies in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan, a U.S. official said. "We decided that due to the threat of Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots we need to reduce our footprint and keep only essential staff," the official said. CNN first reported on the reduction in staffing at the four embassies. Read the full memo .

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the U.S. will reject any deal that would allow Iran to build nuclear weapons.