US Intelligence Chief Jay Clayton Warns Iran Has Escalated Threats Against Americans
US intelligence chief Jay Clayton warns Iran has ramped up efforts to target Americans as Washington weighs potential new military action.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, United States — U.S. national intelligence chief Jay Clayton issued a stark warning on Friday, October 23, 2026, stating that Iran has substantially increased its efforts to target American citizens in West Asia and beyond.
The security alert follows a recent U.S. directive ordering non-essential embassy personnel and their families to depart Saudi Arabia amid mounting assaults from Yemen’s Houthi movement.
Saudi Arabia has faced nearly daily attacks throughout the month from the Iran-backed group, highlighted by a strike on Riyadh’s international airport that marked the kingdom’s deadliest incident in years.
According to a U.S. official, Mr. Clayton outlined the rising dangers in a memo addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The memo, initially brought to light by Axios, notes that lethal plotting efforts by Iranian operatives against U.S. nationals have advanced significantly across the Middle East and select international territories.
Washington previously directed non-essential personnel to evacuate the Gulf region prior to launching its conflict against Iran, and repeated the withdrawal order in July before U.S. President Donald Trump halted a planned wave of military strikes.
An anonymous U.S. official emphasized that embassy staffing levels are under continuous review based on evolving security data, noting that the persistent danger of Houthi aggression and Iranian terror plots directly shape these administrative choices.
On Friday, October 23, 2026, President Trump hinted at the possibility of resuming military operations against Iran.
Addressing reporters, Mr. Trump remarked that the U.S. might undertake another little Epic Fury, referencing the designated military title for previous American strikes on Iran, though he withheld any specific timeline.
Hostilities officially erupted in late February via joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, an offensive that resulted in the deaths of the nation’s supreme leader and high-ranking military commanders.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
