Washington DC: Axios has reported that a new US intelligence report has found that Iran has “substantially increased” its efforts to target American diplomats and officials in the Middle East.
The intelligence memo cited by Axios also stated that plots against American diplomats were reaching “advanced stages.” The memo was addressed to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
US officials also fear that Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen could expand their attacks beyond Saudi Arabia to other countries in the region. Earlier, the US Department of State said it had ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel and their family members from Saudi Arabia.
Addressing reports that the US was preparing to issue departure orders across multiple Gulf embassies, Department of State Spokesperson Tommy Pigott explicitly refuted the scope of the reported measures.
“This is inaccurate. The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia only,” he wrote in a post on X.
Highlighting the specific security concerns behind the decision, Pigott pointed to escalating aggression by Iranian-backed Houthi forces targeting civilian infrastructure within the Kingdom.
“Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions,” he added.
The new intelligence on Iran comes even as US President Donald Trump issued a direct military warning to Tehran on Friday, suggesting another potential US strike if the country fails to reach a diplomatic agreement. He remarked that Washington might launch “another little Epic Fury” to compel compliance.
Addressing a campaign rally in Florida, Trump adopted an aggressive foreign policy posture while highlighting his past national security decisions and criticising the Iranian leadership.
“We may do another little Epic Fury, or they’ll agree,” Trump told the cheering crowd, hinting at military action if negotiations falter.
Questioning Tehran’s strategic foresight, Trump said, “If they’re smart, they’ll just say, ‘Let’s get down to business.’ But, you know, I doubt they’ll do that because perhaps they’re not smart,” he added.
With the US midterm elections approaching in the first week of November, analysts believe an escalation in the West Asian conflict could be expected as both the US and Iran continue to harden their positions.
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