Officials Throw Cold Water on FBI Claim That Iran Sought to Attack California With Drones

"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 States Homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the US conducted strikes against Iran, said the alert, which was sent out in late February."

"Multiple US and state law enforcement and intel officials told @CBSNews there is no credible intelligence underpinning the bulletin distributed on the unverified possibility that Iran could retaliate for American attacks by launching drones at the West Coast. This is not actionable, a California-based federal law enforcement official told CBS."

"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, another California law enforcement official said. There is absolutely nothing more to it."

The FBI's Los Angeles division distributed an alert to California police departments warning of Iran's alleged aspiration to conduct a surprise drone attack from an unidentified vessel off the U.S. coast against unspecified California targets, potentially in retaliation for American strikes. The alert, sent in late February based on information from early February 2026, provided no details on timing, method, specific targets, or perpetrators. However, CBS News reported that multiple U.S. and state law enforcement and intelligence officials stated there is no credible intelligence supporting the bulletin. Law enforcement officials characterized it as non-actionable information shared to keep executives informed, with the tip apparently originating before recent Iranian conflict escalation.

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