The FBI warned police departments in California in current days that Iran may retaliate for American assaults by launching drones on the West Coast, in accordance to an alert reviewed by ABC News.
“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,” in accordance to the alert distributed on the finish of February. “We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.”
The warning got here simply because the Trump administration launched its ongoing assault towards the Islamic Republic. Iran has been retaliating with drone strikes towards targets all through the Mideast.
A spokeswoman for the FBI workplace in LA declined to remark.
The White House didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
U.S. intelligence officers have additionally grown involved in current months in regards to the increasing use of drones by Mexican drug cartels and the possibility the know-how may very well be used to attack American forces and personnel close to the Mexican border.
“An uncorroborated report suggested that unidentified Mexican cartel leaders had authorized attacks using UAS (drones) carrying explosives against US law enforcement and US military personnel along the US-Mexico border,” in accordance to a September 2025 bulletin reviewed by ABC News. “This type of attack against US personnel or interests inside the United States would be unprecedented but exemplifies a plausible scenario, although (cartels) typically avoid actions that would result in unwanted attention or responses from US authorities.”
ABC News contributor John Cohen, the previous head of intelligence for the Department of Homeland Security, stated he’s involved about the potential for drone warfare coming from each the Pacific and Mexico.
“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 stated. “The FBI is wise for placing this warning out in order that state and locals may be higher in a position to put together and reply to some of these threats. Information like that is critically vital for regulation enforcement.”
While the FBI’s warning didn’t specify how or when vessels carrying attack drones may get shut sufficient to the U.S. mainland, intelligence officers have lengthy been involved about tools being pre-positioned – both on land or on ships at sea — in the occasion Israel or the U.S. struck Iran.
