Iranian Kill Plots: DNI Memo Reveals $2 Billion Budget Surge

The U.S. intelligence community has issued a formal warning that Iran has expanded its lethal targeting of Americans abroad. Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent an unclassified memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday. The document details a substantial increase in Iranian efforts to kill U.S. personnel in the Middle East and other regions.

Clayon wrote that the plotting efforts have reached advanced stages. He noted that Iran has spent $2 billion more on these operations than in previous periods. The memo was also copied to CIA Director John Ratcliffe. The document does not identify specific targets or list the countries where the plots are being developed.

The intelligence community is working to declassify sensitive information. This process will allow State Department staff to access more detailed intelligence. Clayton stated that the agency is moving to share gathered data more widely to improve security planning. The memo does not confirm that an attack is imminent but emphasizes the maturity of the current plans.

This warning arrives as the administration considers resuming military strikes against Iran. The State Department ordered non-essential embassy personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia earlier this week. Several other U.S. embassies in the region have shifted to restricted operations status. This status allows staff reductions without a formal evacuation order.

A U.S. official told CBS News that the department constantly evaluates the security environment. The threat of Houthi attacks and Iranian terror plots is shaping staffing decisions. A senior U.S. military official confirmed that the military has been quietly shrinking its presence in the Middle East. These moves come after Houthi militants struck Riyadh's King Khalid Airport earlier this month, killing a U.S. citizen and injuring hundreds.

President Trump suggested another military operation could follow if Tehran does not reach an agreement. Speaking at a campaign rally in Florida on Friday, he referenced the U.S. military campaign launched in February. He stated, We may do another little Epic Fury, or they'll agree. Iran has continued to claim responsibility for attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz despite recent lulls in direct strikes.