Tipsheet

The FBI Just Issued This Warning to Police Departments in California

The FBI has reportedly warned police departments across California that Iran could attempt to retaliate against the United States for Operation Epic Fury by launching attack drones targeting the state.

Iran does not have the capability to launch drones from the Middle East that could reach the U.S. West Coast. However, the FBI reportedly warned that unidentified vessels operating off the California coast could potentially be used to launch attack 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,” an alert distributed at the end of February read. “We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.”

This comes as concerns continue to grow over the potential activation of Iranian sleeper cells inside the United States. Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, two separate Islamist-inspired terror attacks have occurred, though any direct connection to the Iranian regime remains unclear.