NEW: FBI Warns Iran Could Target California With Drone Attack Following U.S. Strikes

Federal authorities have quietly alerted law enforcement agencies in California about a potential Iranian threat involving drone attacks launched from offshore vessels, according to a recently disclosed intelligence bulletin.

The alert, distributed by the FBI to local police departments late last month, warned that Iranian actors may have contemplated deploying unmanned aerial vehicles toward targets along the U.S. West Coast if Washington carried out military strikes against Tehran.

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

The warning circulated just as the Trump administration began its current military campaign against Iran. In the weeks since, Iranian forces have launched several retaliatory drone attacks across the Middle East, part of  escalation in tensions following the American strikes.

Officials said the intelligence did not identify a specific target or timeline. Still, the possibility of Iranian-backed operations near American shores has been a recurring concern among national security officials monitoring Tehran’s expanding drone capabilities.

Security officials have increasingly focused on the rapid spread of drone technology among hostile actors, including foreign governments and criminal networks. Analysts say relatively inexpensive unmanned systems can be equipped with explosives or surveillance equipment and deployed from ships or other mobile platforms, making them difficult to track or intercept.

Authorities have also expressed concern about similar capabilities emerging much closer to the United States through organized crime groups operating near the southern border.

In a separate intelligence bulletin issued in September 2025, federal officials cited reports suggesting Mexican cartel leaders had discussed the possibility of using weaponized drones against American personnel.

“An uncorroborated report suggested that unidentified Mexican cartel leaders had authorized attacks using UAS (drones) carrying explosives against US law enforcement and US military personnel along the US-Mexico border,” the bulletin stated. “This type of attack against US personnel or interests inside the United States would be unprecedented but exemplifies a plausible scenario, although (cartels) typically avoid actions that would result in unwanted attention or responses from US authorities.”

Security specialists say the concerns surrounding Iranian and cartel drone capabilities illustrate how rapidly evolving technologies are reshaping modern security threats.

John Cohen, a former acting undersecretary for intelligence at the Department of Homeland Security and an ABC News contributor, said the warning reflects the growing possibility that drone warfare could extend to American territory.

“We know Iran has an extensive presence in Mexico and South America, they have relationships, they have the drones and now they have the incentive to conduct attacks,” Cohen said. “The FBI is smart for putting this warning out so that state and locals can be better able to prepare and respond to these types of threats. Information like this is critically important for law enforcement.”

Although the FBI alert did not detail how a vessel carrying drones could approach close enough to strike the U.S. mainland, officials have long warned that hostile actors could position equipment well before a conflict erupts. Intelligence analysts say drones, launch systems, or other equipment could potentially be staged aboard ships operating offshore or stored on land in advance of an attack.

Those concerns have intensified as tensions with Iran have risen, raising the possibility that retaliation for American or Israeli military action could reach far beyond the Middle East.