US Pulls Diplomats from Middle East Posts As Fears of Iranian Retaliation Grow
- World news
- October, 24, 2026 - 11:00
The moves come after a US intelligence memo warned that alleged Iranian efforts to target American personnel have advanced, underscoring Washington’s growing security concerns as President Donald Trump threatens to resume military strikes against Iran and the Israeli regime presses for more immediate aggression.
The developments come after the US-led aggression against Iran triggered an international crisis, while Washington faces the prospect of retaliation against its personnel and interests across the Middle East.
An unclassified October 23 memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed US intelligence had found that “Iran has substantially increased efforts to target US personnel” and that alleged plotting efforts “have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries.”
The US government has cited these assessments in decisions to reduce diplomatic staffing, restrict operations and move personnel and their families out of several countries.
The memo’s warning comes as the Trump administration considers renewed military aggression against Iran, despite the risks of a wider confrontation and the potential consequences for American personnel and diplomatic facilities throughout the region.
The Israeli regime has also lobbied Washington for more immediate military action against Iran, according to sources cited by CNN, although those efforts have so far been unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the State Department has ordered non-emergency personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia while quietly reducing staffing levels at US diplomatic missions in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The changes follow earlier evacuations during the war with Iran, forcing some diplomatic families to leave again shortly after returning to their posts.
The repeated departures expose the disruption facing US diplomatic operations as Washington weighs further military action against Iran and confronts the prospect of retaliation across the region.
US officials have said the diplomatic missions remain under “restricted operations” rather than being placed under formal departure orders, but the staffing adjustments indicate that Washington is taking additional precautions amid heightened security concerns.
The American Foreign Service Association has also criticized the administration’s handling of the departures, saying families who had recently returned and re-enrolled their children in school were being told to prepare to leave again without clear assurances about financial assistance.
“A lot of people are hearing about it through the news instead of their leadership at post,” one source familiar with the departures told CNN.
The association described the process as “bureaucratic ping-pong,” highlighting the uncertainty facing US diplomatic personnel and their families.
The State Department said it was communicating with affected personnel and providing support for lodging, schooling and additional expenses.
The latest developments come as Washington continues to threaten Iran with renewed attacks, while the Israeli regime presses for further military aggression.
Any renewed US aggression against Iran risks triggering another regional confrontation, as Washington’s own intelligence warnings highlight the potential exposure of American personnel and interests.
Iran’s position against military aggression remains central to the escalating standoff, while the latest US security measures reflect Washington’s concern over the consequences of a wider conflict.
A renewed attack would carry the risk of retaliation extending beyond the immediate battlefield, placing additional pressure on US military and diplomatic positions across the region.