The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently issued an alert to law enforcement agencies in California warning about a potential drone threat linked to Iran.
According to a bulletin reviewed by ABC News, officials warned that Iran may have considered launching unmanned aerial vehicles from a vessel positioned off the West Coast. The alert was circulated to police departments across the state in late February.
“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 alert stated. “We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.”
The warning surfaced as tensions escalated following military actions involving the United States and Israel targeting Iran. Iranian forces have also launched drone strikes across parts of the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict.
However, a senior law enforcement official indicated that recent military strikes against Iran may have significantly weakened the country’s ability to carry out such an attack, potentially limiting the risk of a drone operation targeting the U.S. West Coast.