The FBI delivered a stark warning to law enforcement agencies across California, alerting officers that Iran had allegedly plotted a drone strike against the West Coast in retaliation for American military operations against the Islamic Republic.
The bureau distributed the alert to police departments and Joint Terrorism Task Force partners at the end of February.
The warning stated that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles launched from an unidentified vessel positioned off the coast of the United States, with unspecified targets in California.
The FBI alert was obtained and reviewed by ABC News. The bulletin emphasized that authorities had no additional details on the timing, targets, methods, or perpetrators and described the information as uncorroborated.
“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 alert stated.
“We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack,” the FBI update continued.
Both the FBI and the White House declined to comment on the matter.
When asked Wednesday whether he was worried that Iran might expand its retaliation to include strikes on U.S. soil, President Trump told reporters, “No, I’m not.”
Intelligence officials have long worried about adversaries pre-positioning equipment, on land or aboard ships, in anticipation of a conflict with the United States or Israel.
The FBI alert did not specify how or when a vessel carrying attack drones could approach the American coastline close enough to launch a strike, per the Washington Times.
The Hill reported that California Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged awareness of the threat during a press conference. Newsom stated that “drone issues have always been top of mind” and that his office had assembled work groups specifically around those concerns.
A California-based federal law enforcement official told news outlets that the threat has “not been deemed credible at this time,” describing the warning as cautionary in nature.
The FBI alert arrives as American forces continue their sustained military campaign against Iran.
The U.S. military has struck more than 5,000 Iranian sites since launching Operation Epic Fury, including downing over 50 Iranian ships, according to U.S. Central Command.
The drone threat from Iran does not stand alone.
A separate government bulletin from September 2025 warned of a growing drone danger much closer to home.
An uncorroborated report indicated that unidentified Mexican cartel leaders had authorized attacks using drones carrying explosives against U.S. law enforcement and military personnel along the U.S.-Mexico border, reported ABC7.
That bulletin noted such an attack on U.S. soil would be unprecedented, but officials described the scenario as plausible, even while acknowledging that cartels have typically steered clear of provocations likely to trigger a heavy response from Washington.
Newsnation reported that on the same day the FBI drone alert surfaced, Iran-linked hackers struck a major American corporation.
Resist the Mainstream reported that the hacking collective Handala carried out a cyberattack Wednesday on Michigan-based medical equipment company Stryker, shutting down technology operations across its global offices and leaving thousands of employees unable to access company systems.
“Our major cyber operation has been executed with complete success,” Handala stated, claiming all extracted data is “now in the hands of the free people of the world.”
