In recent weeks, a swirl of warnings, reassurances, and political controversy has enveloped California as the FBI issued an alert about a potential Iranian drone attack targeting the state’s coastline. The alert, first reported by ABC News on March 11, 2026, described unverified intelligence that Iran “allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event the U.S. conducted strikes against Iran.” According to ABC7 Eyewitness News and NewsNation, the information was acquired in early February and distributed to local law enforcement at the end of that month, just as U.S. and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes on Iranian cities and military sites.
The language of the FBI alert was careful and cautious. It stated: “We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.” The memo, as reviewed by multiple outlets, was based on a single, unverified tip and did not specify how or when such an attack could occur, nor did it indicate that a threat was imminent.
Nonetheless, the warning prompted swift responses from California’s highest officials. Governor Gavin Newsom, speaking during a webinar on March 11, addressed the alert directly. “We are aware of that information, and we transfer that information, in real time, to our local partners,” Newsom said, as reported by ABC7. “Drone issues have always been top of mind. And we’ve assembled some work groups specifically around those concerns.” He added that his administration was working closely with the Office of Emergency Services’ State Operations Center to funnel information to law enforcement, emphasizing a “posture of preparedness for the worst-case scenario.”
Despite the heightened attention, state and local agencies maintained there was no credible or immediate danger. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie assured residents, “We have been in constant communication with our state and federal partners who have assured us there are no imminent threats to us here in San Francisco.” Police and sheriff’s departments across the Bay Area echoed this sentiment, stating they were in constant contact with federal partners and had no specific intelligence indicating any threat to the region as of March 11.
The FBI’s Sacramento field office, for its part, declined to confirm or deny the specifics of the alert. Gina Swankie, a spokesperson for the office, told The Sacramento Bee that the agency “will neither confirm nor deny” the ABC report, underlining the sensitive and unverified nature of the intelligence.
As the story gained traction, federal officials weighed in to clarify the situation. On March 12, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a forceful rebuttal of the original ABC News reporting. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Leavitt wrote, “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 continued, “TO BE CLEAR: No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did.”
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla of California acknowledged awareness of the reports and said his office had requested additional information from the Trump administration regarding federal efforts to counter potential threats. Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, speaking to The Sacramento Bee, downplayed the alert’s credibility, suggesting that “the more possible threat is some lone wolf doing some action versus sending a ship with drones on it.” He added, “That just got out. There’s no truth to that.”
Still, the specter of Iranian drones was not conjured from thin air. Since the U.S. bombing campaign of Iran began nearly two weeks prior, Iran had used drones to attack American facilities and allies throughout the Middle East. As ABC7 and NewsNation reported, Iran’s approach to conflict with the U.S. and Israel is often through asymmetric warfare—using unconventional tactics rather than direct military engagement. Elizabeth Neumann, a former Department of Homeland Security official, explained to ABC News, “We know that Iran’s approach to combating the United States and Israel is through asymmetric warfare. They cannot take us on militarily.”
Mike Nelson, a retired Special Forces lieutenant colonel, told NewsNation that the alert “seems like one of any number of ways Iran might try to cause some kind of disruption here in the U.S.” He noted that as the war drags on and Iran’s options in the region become more limited, “they are more likely to explore hybrid or asymmetric options. I think this version would be from a ship off the coast.” However, he also pointed out that Iran’s naval capabilities had been diminished, with U.S. Central Command reporting the destruction of 16 Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Security measures in California reflected a heightened state of vigilance, especially for high-profile events. CNN reported that security for the Oscars was increased in direct response to the FBI memo, even as Governor Newsom publicly reassured residents that there was no imminent threat. The California Office of Emergency Services stated, “While we can’t discuss sensitive details, Californians should know that this kind of coordination happens every day to keep people safe. California is prepared to protect its communities, and we’ll continue working closely with our federal partners.”
Experts in counterterrorism and military strategy offered a range of perspectives on the plausibility of an attack. Michael Eisenstadt, director of military and security studies at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told The Sacramento Bee, “My thinking is this war is going to have long tails. In other words, once it’s over, it’s not really over... This might be a threat that will linger for a long time to come.” Hal Kempfer, a retired Marine intelligence officer, said the threat of drone attacks is “always” present given their increasing use in warfare and terrorism, noting that Sacramento’s critical infrastructure could make it a possible target.
Bruce Hoffman, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, wrote that Iran might have “greater incentive” to use all forms of “asymmetric warfare” the longer the conflict continues, including sleeper agents, lone actors, cyberattacks, and physical attacks on infrastructure. The Insecurity Insight website, cited by The Bee, even offered public safety tips in the unlikely event of a drone attack, such as running in a zig-zag pattern and hiding from view.
In the midst of these warnings and reassurances, the U.S. military has responded to the evolving drone threat in the Middle East. The Associated Press reported that the U.S. deployed a new anti-drone system known as Merops, which uses AI to intercept enemy drones and has already been used in Ukraine. This system is small enough to fit in the back of a pickup truck and is designed to operate even when satellite communications are jammed.
For Californians, the message from officials has been clear: while preparedness is essential and vigilance is warranted, there is no imminent threat to the state. The FBI alert, though widely publicized, was based on unverified information and has not resulted in any actionable intelligence or heightened threat level. As the situation in the Middle East continues to evolve, authorities at every level remain watchful, but daily life in California goes on, guided by both caution and calm.