The United States has reduced its staff at four embassies in the Middle East due to increased threats from Iran and the Houthi rebel group.
What happened
A memo from the Director of National Intelligence warned that Iran is in advanced stages of planning attacks against Americans. As a result, the State Department has reduced staff at US embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
The State Department has also issued travel advisory warnings for these countries, with Level 3 warnings for Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE, and a Level 4 warning for Lebanon. Americans have been advised to exercise increased caution while traveling worldwide.
The reduced staff at the embassies is part of the State Department's Restricted Operations Status, which allows for constant evaluation and adjustment of staffing levels. There have been no changes to personnel in Kuwait or Bahrain.
