The FBI has alerted police departments across California to the possibility that Iran could attempt drone strikes against targets along the West Coast if the United States carries out attacks on the Islamic Republic, according to an advisory reviewed by ABC News.
The late-February bulletin said that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles launched from an unidentified vessel off the U.S. coastline, targeting unspecified sites in California.
The advisory emphasized that authorities had no additional information on the timing, method, targets, or perpetrators of any potential attack, ABC News reports.
The warning circulated as the U.S. stepped up military action against Iran, and as Iran continued using drones in retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, ABC News reported. The alert also suggested Iran may be activating sleeper cells outside its borders.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said the state is coordinating closely with partners.
“California is actively monitoring reports of potential threats tied to the Middle East conflict. The Governor has directed [the California Office of Emergency Services] to elevate its security posture and has been coordinating with state, local and federal partners since the start of the conflict to share information around-the-clock. California is prepared to protect our communities,” Newsom’s Press Office stated.
Newsom followed up with a post on social media stating, “While we are not aware of any imminent threats at this time, we remain prepared for any emergency in our state.”
Authorities stress that the current FBI advisory contains no specific, corroborated threat details. Law enforcement agencies in California are reviewing posture and coordination while urging the public to report suspicious activity to 911.
On Thursday, March 12, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the ABC News report stating, “no such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did.”
“This post and story should be immediately retracted by ABC News for providing false information to intentionally alarm the American people,” Leavitt wrote on the social platform X. “They wrote this based on one email that was sent to local law enforcement in California about a single, unverified tip. The email even states the tip was based on *unverified* intelligence. Yet ABC News left out this critical fact in their story! WHY?” she said.
Last Attack on California Took Place at Goleta’s Ellwood Oil Field in 1942
The last direct attack on California’s coast occurred on February 23, 1942, when the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-17 surfaced off Santa Barbara and shelled the Ellwood Oil Field in Goleta.
The barrage damaged a derrick, a pump house, the Ellwood Pier, and a catwalk, with overall losses estimated at roughly $500.
Despite the limited damage, the incident sparked widespread fear and was followed by the “Battle of Los Angeles,” a false alarm on February 24–25 in which U.S. forces fired anti-aircraft rounds at suspected enemy aircraft that were never confirmed.
Days later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, leading to the incarceration of approximately 117,000 people of Japanese descent—most of them U.S. citizens—an action now widely regarded as one of the most egregious civil rights violations of the 20th century.
For a more comprehensive report on this attack, read Tom Modugno’s Goleta History article.
Courtesy of Trump.
So glad squirrely eye Kash Patel is keeping us safe flying around to party in a taxpayer funded jet. Trump said Iran is done, yet they continue to fire missiles, rockets and drones on an hourly basis – and close the Strait of Hormuz. Diaper Don was in no shape to lead this military action, and he started pooping the diaper when gas hit $100 a barrel. All because he wanted to cover for himself and his rape buddies in the Epstein files. You would have to be a horrible human being with no moral compass to continue to support Trump.
LOL, what was that great Eagles song? Oh yeah, Desperado…
“why don’t you come to your senses…”
I think we’re good. Go surf if you wanna.
Of course you like the Eagles
Basic, The Eagles are a horrible f$()* band. So mediocre – I see your tastes now – a dinosaur.
thanks to the 2nd amendment, we haven’t been attacked on our homeland since 1942. Iran, bring it on!!!
00ps – you’re kidding, right? The only “attack” on our homeland prevented by the 2nd A has been civil war. The trillions we spend on our nuclear arsenal (to the loss of education, healthcare and all the things that would make us a truly powerful country) and, more importantly, the 2 giant oceans on either side of us, are the only things preventing a foreign attack/invasion.
LOL! Like Russia and China are scared of some fat racists with AR-15s who have never seen action outside of their PS4’s……
Man, you people really are delusional
You have the wrong part of the Constitution. The original unamended Constitution (the Bill of Rights was really more of an addendum than a set of amendments–it didn’t change or override any of the original text) says:
https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/articles/article-i#article-section-8
The Congress shall have Power […]
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
[…]
Kevin “The leaders or Iran just murdered 40.000 men women and children for protesting, ” So now you care about protesters in Iran, but not the protesters in America? Make it make sense. Are you making Iran great again?
Call me woke if you want, but I think our local government should be more tolerant of sharia law.
Sure, why not go wrong? Let’s go Minnesota style here in SB!
You misspelled “troll”.