Washington withdraws diplomats and families from Middle East embassies over Iranian plots

The United States has begun reducing staff at several of its embassies in the Middle East after an intelligence warning that Iranian plots against U.S. personnel had reached an advanced stage. It also ordered nonessential staff to leave Saudi Arabia because of Houthi attacks.

The United States has begun withdrawing diplomats and family members from several of its embassies in the Middle East after U.S. intelligence warned that Iran had intensified efforts to target American personnel, Bloomberg and CNN reported.

The U.S. State Department ordered nonessential staff and all family members to leave Saudi Arabia, citing an increase in Houthi attacks. A department official said missions in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates would see "temporary changes in staffing levels as part of restricted operations," while there were no changes in Bahrain and Kuwait.

Sign at the U.S. State Department headquarters in Washington

In a declassified memorandum dated October 23 and addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton wrote that Iran had "significantly increased its efforts to target American personnel" and that plots against American citizens had "reached an advanced stage" in the Middle East and other countries.

Many of those who left had recently returned to their posts after being evacuated during the height of the war with Iran, which began about eight months ago with U.S. and Israeli strikes. The move comes as the Houthis intensify attacks on energy facilities and airports in Saudi Arabia, and as President Donald Trump hinted at the possibility of resuming strikes on Iran after the November 3 midterm elections.