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Published : 12 Mar 2026, 02:43 AM
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned California police that Iran could retaliate against US strikes by launching drone attacks on the US West Coast, according to a report by ABC News.
An alert circulated at the end of February said the FBI had obtained information suggesting that Iran was considering a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles launched from an unidentified vessel off the US coast, targeting unspecified locations in California.
The notice added that authorities did not have any details on the timing, method, targets or perpetrators of any such attack.
The warning came as the Trump administration launched strikes against Iran, which has responded with drone attacks across the Middle East.
US intelligence officials have also raised concerns about the growing use of drones by Mexican drug cartels and the risk that such technology could be used to target American forces near the Mexico border, reports ABC News.
John Cohen, a former intelligence chief at the US Department of Homeland Security and now an ABC News contributor, said the warning would help local authorities prepare for potential threats.
He noted the possibility of drone attacks originating from both the Pacific Ocean and Mexico, adding that Iran has networks and ties in parts of Latin America.
The alert did not explain how vessels carrying attack drones could reach the US mainland, though intelligence officials have long warned that equipment might be pre-positioned on land or at sea for retaliation if the US or Israel struck Iran.
