America just pulled its staff from the Middle East over Iran plots

US intelligence just told the State Department something serious. Iran's plots to kill American officials have hit advanced stages. So the government is pulling staff and families out of Middle East embassies. Right now.

Here's where the warning came from. An unclassified memo, sent about a day ago. Jay Clayton, the Director of National Intelligence, wrote it. He sent it to Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State. John Ratcliffe, the CIA Director, was copied in.

And here's what it actually says. Lethal plotting by Iranians against American citizens has reached advanced stages. In the Middle East. And in certain other countries.

It doesn't say which countries. It doesn't name any targets. It doesn't say an attack is coming any minute.

Axios reported the memo first. CBS News then confirmed what was in it.

So what has actually happened because of it? The State Department has already moved. Non-essential staff and every family member are being pulled out of the US Embassy in Riyadh. Same for the consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Four more embassies are also cutting staff. The United Arab Emirates. Lebanon. Qatar. Jordan. But these four stay open. The State Department calls it restricted operations. Not a full ordered departure.

A State Department spokesperson told The Hill the current hostilities could escalate rapidly. Beyond the immediate area. A US official told CBS News two things are driving the staffing changes at those four posts. The Houthi attacks. And the plots in the memo.

And here's the part that stings. CNN reports some of these staff had only just gone back to their posts. They were pulled out once already. During the height of the war with Iran. Now they're leaving again.

But there's a wrinkle here. A Time News report says Tommy Pigott, a State Department spokesperson, pushed back on one thing. He said mandatory ordered-departure status does not extend beyond Saudi Arabia. That sits awkwardly next to CNN, Axios and CBS, who all report staffing cuts at the other four embassies too.

Both things can be true at once. Saudi Arabia got the formal order. The other four got a smaller reduction. Not the same thing. Just related.

Now, why is any of this happening? Because of a real run of attacks. Two weeks ago, a Houthi attack hit Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. Twelve people died, including one American. More than 300 were injured. Two days ago, a separate Houthi attack hit Dammam's King Fahd International Airport. Two people died. Eight were wounded. Saudi Aramco has already ordered its staff out of headquarters in Dhahran. That building had been hit once before.