Federal authorities are warning about the possibility that Iran could attempt a drone attack against targets in California, according to a newly surfaced alert sent to law enforcement across the state. Security experts say the threat highlights growing concerns that the United States may not be adequately prepared for such an attack.
An FBI bulletin circulated to police agencies in California cautioned that Iran may have explored plans to launch drones from a vessel positioned off the American coastline. The alert, which became public on Wednesday, outlined intelligence suggesting the possibility of a surprise strike under certain circumstances.
The FBI notice stated: “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.”
Brett Velicovich, a former U.S. Army intelligence and special operations soldier who previously used drones in missions targeting ISIS and other terrorist organizations, said Iran possesses the technical capability, operational knowledge, and incentive to attempt such an attack.
Velicovich said the warning distributed by the FBI demonstrates how seriously federal officials are treating the threat, adding that adversaries may already be exploring ways to deploy drones toward the California coast.
“We’re extremely vulnerable to drone attacks,” Velicovich said. “We’re not prepared for this.”
According to Velicovich, Iran is believed to possess large numbers of attack drones that can be remotely operated from long distances and can travel hundreds of miles before reaching their intended targets.
“These are long-range, one-way attack drones that are extremely capable and can be sent in swarms,” explained Velicovich, who in July was praised by President Trump as one of the nation’s foremost experts in drone warfare.
Velicovich noted that drones could potentially be launched from ships at sea, a scenario referenced in the FBI alert. He added that such operations might even be carried out using unmanned vessels designed to deploy drones remotely.
“You don’t even need a human anywhere near this,” he said. “You can launch these things over Starlink from a boat 1,000 miles away.”
The expert also warned that Iran’s ties to criminal networks and partners in Mexico and parts of South America could provide additional launch points closer to the U.S. border.
Velicovich said Iran’s “strategy is to sow fear” with drone attacks, striking crowds of people or important infrastructure for maximum horror.
“It’s population centers, infrastructure, ports, locations that can disrupt the economy,” he said. “This is an issue that deserves national attention.”
He noted that possible targets could include major public venues and critical facilities such as stadiums, hotels, office towers, government buildings, and military installations.
Velicovich, who later established a drone manufacturing company called Powerus, said drones used in such attacks could carry explosive payloads and navigate precisely to their targets using GPS coordinates.
He emphasized that protecting against these threats would require multiple layers of defensive measures.
Among the methods used to counter drones are missiles designed to shoot them down, electronic jamming systems that interfere with their navigation and communications, and laser systems capable of disabling their electronics.
“There’s no one single solution” against drone attacks, said Velicovich. “You have, like, literally, guys with machine guns trying to shoot them down.”
Velicovich said the FBI was correct to notify both law enforcement and the public about the potential risk.
“Somebody has credible intelligence that this is a real threat,” Velicovich said. “So they have a duty to warn the American people, and they have a duty to warn local law enforcement to be on the lookout.”
Authorities in California say they are monitoring the situation closely. The Los Angeles Police Department issued a statement saying it continues to coordinate with federal and state partners as tensions in the Middle East remain high.
“We want to reassure every Angeleno that we continue to coordinate with all of our Federal, State, and local partners for intelligence and information sharing during the ongoing Middle East conflict. We share this information in real time, assess every credible lead, and adjust our posture as needed to ensure the safety of our City.
“At this time, there are no known or specific threats to Los Angeles. The LAPD remains prepared and committed to maintaining public safety from all potential threats.”
{Matzav.com}
