The FBI issued a bulletin to California law enforcement agencies on Wednesday warning that Iran has explored plans to launch surprise drone attacks against the West Coast. According to the alert, the Islamic Republic “aspired” to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from unidentified vessels stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
The warning, first reported by ABC News, specified that the intelligence was gathered in early February 2026. The bureau stated that the potential operation was conceived as a retaliatory measure “in the event that the US conducted strikes against Iran.”
“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 States Homeland,” the alert noted.
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Federal officials clarified that while the intent was documented, they lack specific details regarding the logistics of such an operation. “We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack,” the FBI communication added.
The disclosure comes as the region remains on edge following the start of joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran, which began on Feb. 28. Those initial strikes resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran.
California Governor Gavin Newsom addressed the report on Wednesday through a post on X, formerly Twitter. While the governor noted that his office is “not aware of any imminent threats,” he stated that the state remains “prepared for any emergency.”
The warning follows a history of escalatory rhetoric from Iranian leadership. Prior to his death, Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, warned Western powers to “beware, lest you be the ones to vanish.”
Additionally, an image posted to the account of the late Ayatollah Khamenei recently showed a missile in a laboratory setting. The accompanying text stated that the “Zionist regime” had made a “big mistake” and promised consequences that would leave opponents “desperate, by God’s grace.”
The FBI has not provided further comment on the current credibility of the drone threat.
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