Iran has made threats against Fort McNair, an army post in Washington, and against the US army’s vice chief of staff as part of its retaliation against the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, the Associated Press reports.   

Citing what it described as two senior US intelligence officials, the news agency said the National Security Agency had intercepted communications in January that showed Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) had drawn plans to mount “USS Cole-style attacks” against the post.

It was referring to the October 2000 attack in which a small boat pulled up alongside the US navy's guided-missile destroyer in the Yemeni port of Aden and exploded, killing 17 sailors.

According to the unnamed officials, NSA also allegedly exposed threats to kill General Joseph M. Martin and attempts to infiltrate and surveil Fort McNair.

The report said the intercepted discussion took place among members of the Quds Force of the IRGC and focused on potential military options in retaliation for last year's assassination of Iran's legendary anti-terror commander in Baghdad.