21 US Troops Dead as DNI Orders Staff Cuts in Seven Middle East Missions

Twenty-one US military personnel have died in the Middle East since the conflict with Iran began on February 28, according to the Pentagon. This toll accompanies a new internal directive from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, who ordered the reduction of non-essential staff at seven diplomatic posts in the region. The move follows a warning that Iranian efforts to target American personnel have reached an advanced stage.

Clayton sent the memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing intelligence that Iran has substantially increased its focus on US officials abroad. The document, first reported by Axios, states that lethal plots are in their final phases in the Middle East and other countries. The New York Times, citing unnamed officials, added that Iran has identified potential targets in Europe and that some operatives are already active within the United States.

Washington has not issued a public statement on the memo, but a US official confirmed its authenticity to The Times. Another official noted that while Iran has ambitions, it may lack the capacity to execute every planned attack. Officials described the current threat level to US citizens in the Middle East as the highest since the war began. This assessment arrives as the US and Israel consider a new military campaign following the upcoming mid-term elections.

President Donald Trump addressed the situation on Friday, stating that the US "may do another little epic fury." He used the codename for the current war in his remarks. The State Department announced the staff reductions on Wednesday, initially citing Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure as the primary driver for the withdrawal from the embassy in Saudi Arabia.

Quiet reductions are occurring at other missions as well. CNN reported that staff cuts are also taking place in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon. A US official told The Times that both Houthi strikes and Iranian terror plots are motivating these decisions. The goal is to minimize the number of US personnel exposed to potential threats in high-risk locations.

Iran has not responded directly to the memo. However, Revolutionary Guard spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said on Wednesday that Tehran would adopt an offensive strategy if the US renewed attacks. He stated that Iran would no longer limit itself to retaliation and claimed improvements in the quality, range, and power of its missiles. The declaration signals a shift in military posture for the Islamic Republic.

Reuters reported that two senior Iranian security officials have detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf. Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei warned that cables, data centers, and AI facilities across the region could be hit if war resumes. These threats follow earlier US actions, including the removal of bombers from an airbase in England this month after a security incident involving men suspected of working with Iranian intelligence.