Governor Gavin Newsom has downplayed the alert, saying he is “not aware of any imminent threats at this time”
The FBI has warned the authorities in California that Iran has planned drone raids launched from an unidentified vessel off the West Coast, according to an alert reviewed by US media outlets. Local officials, however, have cast doubt on the warning, saying it is unverified.
According to ABC News, the memo was distributed to California departments in recent days, though the contents first surfaced publicly on Wednesday.
The memo warned that in early February, 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 case of a US attack against the country.
The bulletin added that the federal authorities “have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom responded to the alert, saying he remains “in constant coordination with security and intelligence officials” on threats to the state, including those tied to the Middle East conflict.
”While we are not aware of any imminent threats at this time, we remain prepared for any emergency in our state,” he wrote on X.
Local officials interviewed by CBS downplayed the memo. One called it “not actionable.” Another dismissed it as “unverified.”
“All this means is we got this information and we want to get it out to law enforcement executives to make sure they’re up to speed on it… There is absolutely nothing more to it,” a third CBS source said.
US President Donald Trump stated that the government is investigating the claim, but acknowledged that he had been briefed on potential Iranian sleeper cells on American soil.
The alert followed massive US and Israeli strikes on Iran that kicked off on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and igniting a regional war. Tehran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and US military bases in the Gulf.
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