{"text":[[{"start":7.06,"text":"A US intelligence memo warns that Iran is stepping up efforts to kill Americans in the Middle East and beyond as tensions in the region escalate."}],[{"start":16.42,"text":"Iran-backed Houthi militants have increased their attacks on Saudi Arabia, while Tehran’s forces have been expanding their strikes on commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The region is also bracing for the US military to potentially resume bombing Iran after midterm elections next month."}],[{"start":32.84,"text":"In a memo to US secretary of state Marco Rubio dated October 23, director of national intelligence Jay Clayton wrote that “through various channels, we have received intelligence that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target US personnel”, according to a US official. Rubio is also US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser."}],[{"start":54.24,"text":"“The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against US citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries,” the memo continued."}],[{"start":63.36,"text":"Clayton also said that “it has become clear that certain intelligence and analysis regarding Iranian efforts to target US government officials in the Middle East and certain other areas are relevant to more individuals than are currently cleared to receive this information”."}],[{"start":78.36,"text":"The memo comes after the US state department ordered some personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia earlier this week, citing increasing attacks from the Houthis, which have been hitting the kingdom’s oil infrastructure and civilian airports."}],[{"start":90.44,"text":"A Saudi-led coalition said in the early hours of Saturday morning that its air defences had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards Riyadh."}],[{"start":100.52,"text":"Saudi’s civil defence authorities had issued alerts for the capital, Wadi Al-Dawasir and Najran before saying the danger had passed."}],[{"start":108.22,"text":"The US official suggested the new intelligence could lead to pulling more government employees from the region. “When it comes to our staffing at embassies, we constantly evaluate new information about the security environment,” the official said."}],[{"start":121.12,"text":"“The threat of Houthi attacks and of Iranian terror plots targeting US officials are informing our decisions on staffing adjustments for embassies” with reduced operations in the region."}],[{"start":132.89,"text":"News of Clayton’s memo was first reported by Axios."}],[{"start":134.6,"text":"Oil prices hit $117 a barrel on Friday for the first time since April on mounting fears of a fresh escalation in US President Donald Trump’s war on Iran and concerns over dwindling global oil inventories. Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed as much as 3.8 per cent to $117.45 a barrel during afternoon trading in New York, later settling at $116.72."}],[{"start":161.74,"text":"Trump has said he might launch a new bombing campaign against the Islamic republic after the midterm elections on November 3. His Republican Party is trying to keep control of Congress amid the unpopular conflict, which has raised prices of petrol and goods for American consumers."}],[{"start":177.28,"text":"During a rally in Florida on Friday night, Trump told the crowd that the US could launch another military operation against Iran."}],[{"start":183.8,"text":"“We may do another little Epic Fury,” he said, referring to the Pentagon’s name for the war that Trump launched on Tehran in February alongside Israel."}],[{"start":193.16,"text":"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing a tough re-election battle on Tuesday, is also pushing to resume large-scale strikes on Iran."}],[{"start":201.64,"text":"US ambassador the UN Mike Waltz acknowledged to the FT this week that Washington could still be in a stalemate with Iran a year from now."}],[{"start":209.04,"text":"“One would hope that they’ll come to the table in a meaningful way before that,” he said."}],[{"start":218.12,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1792822730_4071.mp3"}