Tehran is intensifying efforts to target American officials, mostly in the Middle East but also across a host of other areas, according to a Central Intelligence Agency memo, cited in an Axios report.
According to the latest warning, more severe that previous advisories, as Axios claims based on its sources, a number of assassination plots are already at ‘advanced stage’, causing increasing concern to American intelligence and security services.
The CIA memo, dated October 23rd, is addressed to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a time where deadlock in a diplomatic approach between Iran and the US is stocking fears that the Middle East-also fanned by the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia-might develop into a wider regional conflict.
According to American officials cited by AXIOS, the memo in question is one of the reasons why the State Department is withdrawing non-essential staff and their families from several embassies in the Middle East.
Washington is also considering a report that the Yemen Houthi rebels, funded and armed by Tehran will possibly extend their attacks beyond Saudi Arabia, targetting other countries in the region too.
A 2nd Epic Fury against Iran on the cards, as Trump peacocks
As tensions run on the edge, the situation is further aggravated by the possibility of a second wave of US and Israeli military operations against Iran, possibly following the American interim elections on November 3rd.
During an election rally in Florida, Donald Trump said as much, without really saying anything, staying true to his tactics.
‘We might venture into another small Epic Fury or the Iranians come make a deal’, the US President said, adding that if they were smart, they would move into the substance.
‘But I doubt that’, he noted, ‘perhaps because they’re not smart’.
Back to the AXIOS memo on the US diplomat assassinations, Rubio was warned by the Head of National Intelligence Jay Clayton that he needs to make this information available to more American officials that are now privy to them and who might be facing danger.
CIA does not refer to specific individuals that will likely be targeted by the Iranians, the nature or venue of the attacks.
Earlier this week, the US withdrew non-essential staff and their families from the embassy in Riyadh as well as the consulates in Jeddah and Dahran, while yesterday it took exactly the same action in the UAE, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan, primarily due to the Houthi threat.
