FBI issues Iranian ‘surprise’ attack warning for California

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reportedly alerted police departments in California that in the coming days, Iran could retaliate by launching drones toward the Golden State.

This follows the United States’ late February strikes on Iran, in collaboration with Israel.

On Wednesday, the FBI distributed a bulletin to California law enforcement agencies detailing a potential retaliatory threat. The information states that Iran “aspired” to launch a “surprise” attack using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) from an unidentified vessel off the U.S. West Coast.

 “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 U.S. conducted strikes against Iran,” the alert said.

 

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

The warning, however, provided no details on how the drone-capable ships would approach the United States undetected or launch drones from offshore. Additionally, the alert flagged an unverified tip that Mexican cartel leadership approved using explosive drones along the U.S.- Mexico border targeting American law enforcement and military personal.

Nonetheless, law enforcement sources in both Los Angeles and San Francisco have described the alert as “cautionary” rather than “imminent.” As of now, there is no corroborated intelligence regarding a specific timing, method, or confirmed vessel in position to carry out such an attack.

 

Such an attack on U.S. soil would mark a dramatic and historic escalation, and would undoubtedly prompt a significant retaliatory response from the United States. Both the White House and the FBI declined to comment on the alert.