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FBI said to warn California that Iran could launch drones from boat at West Coast

72 0
11.03.2026

WASHINGTON — The Federal Bureau of Investigation has reportedly warned police departments in California that Iran could retaliate for US attacks by launching drones at the West Coast.

The news was first reported by ABC News on Wednesday, citing an alert it reviewed.

When asked on Wednesday if he was worried that Iran may increase it retaliation to include strikes on US soil, US President Donald Trump told reporters, “No, I’m not.”

The US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran nearly two weeks ago, launching the Gulf region into a war. Tehran has carried out retaliatory strikes in response to the US-Israeli strikes that killed top Iranian officials, including the country’s supreme leader.

“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 wrote in an alert distributed at the end of February, according to ABC News.

“We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said the bulletin was one of many security updates the state received from federal partners daily. California, it said, had elevated its security posture since the start of the conflict.

“The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is actively working with state, local and federal security officials,” said Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Newsom.

Spokespeople for the FBI, Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles mayor did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

Reuters reported earlier this month that Iran and its proxies could target the US with attacks in response to US strikes.

A threat assessment produced by the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security said Iran ​and its proxies “probably” pose a threat of targeted attacks on the United States, although a large-scale ​physical attack was unlikely.

Iran has used drones to attack scores of targets throughout the region, striking ships, US embassies, airports and other infrastructure. Ukraine, which has been dealing for years with attacks from Iranian-made drones launched by Russia, has dispatched experts to the region to help countries counter the threat.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

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