FBI Warns California Of Possible Iranian Drone Att∆cks On U.S. West Coast
FBI Warns California Of Possible Iranian Drone Attacks On U.S. West Coast
The warning added that investigators currently lack critical operational details about the suspected plot.
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning to law enforcement agencies in California about a potential retaliatory drone attack by Iran targeting the U.S. West Coast, following recent American military strikes against the Islamic Republic.
According to a security alert reviewed by ABC News, the FBI told police departments that Iranian operatives may attempt to launch unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks from vessels positioned off the coast of the United States.
The intelligence alert, circulated to law enforcement agencies toward the end of February 2026, stated that American authorities recently obtained information suggesting Tehran had contemplated such a scenario.
“We recently acquired information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United State Homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the US conducted strikes against Iran,” the FBI alert stated.
The warning added that investigators currently lack critical operational details about the suspected plot.
“We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack,” the alert further noted.
The advisory came at a moment of rising tensions between Washington and Tehran after the administration of Donald Trump launched what officials describe as an ongoing assault against the Iranian government.
Since those strikes began, Iran has reportedly responded with drone attacks against various targets across the Middle East, raising concerns among U.S. security agencies that retaliatory operations could eventually reach American soil.
Officials in the FBI’s Los Angeles field office declined to provide additional details when contacted.
A spokeswoman for the bureau’s Los Angeles office said the agency would not comment on the intelligence warning.
Similarly, the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the threat assessment or the broader security implications of potential Iranian retaliation.
Beyond the Iranian threat, U.S. intelligence officials have also been increasingly alarmed by the rapid proliferation of drone technology among criminal organizations operating near the southern border.
Security agencies have warned that Mexican drug cartels may also be exploring the use of weaponized drones capable of targeting American personnel.
Meanwhile, John Cohen, a former head of intelligence at the United States Department of Homeland Security and now an analyst for ABC News, warned that the United States could face drone-based threats from multiple directions.
“We know Iran has an extensive presence in Mexico and South America, they have relationships, they have the drones and now they have the incentive to conduct attacks,” Cohen said.
He praised the FBI for sharing the intelligence with local authorities despite the limited details available.
“The FBI is smart for putting this warning out so that state and locals can be better able to prepare and respond to these types of threats. Information like this is critically important for law enforcement,” he added.
Although the FBI alert did not specify how vessels carrying weaponized drones could approach the U.S. mainland undetected, American intelligence agencies have long worried about the possibility that hostile actors might secretly pre-position equipment for future attacks.
Officials believe drones or other military hardware could potentially be stored on ships at sea or hidden on land inside the United States, ready to be deployed if tensions between Washington and Tehran escalate further.
