Article By Josh Margolin, Aaron Katersky, Alex Stone, and Luke Barr
The FBI warned police departments in California in recent days that Iran could retaliate for American attacks by launching drones at the West Coast, according to an alert reviewed by ABC News.
The warning came just as the Trump administration launched its ongoing assault against the Islamic Republic. Iran has been retaliating with drone strikes against targets throughout the Mideast.
The information about Iran’s aspirations for a surprise drone attack on the West Coast came before the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran, and a senior law enforcement official said it’s believed the 12-day bombardment has severely degraded Iran’s capabilities to carry out such an attack.
A spokeswoman for the FBI office in LA declined to comment.
Asked about the alert sent to California police, President Donald Trump said Wednesday: “It’s being investigated. But you have a lot of things happening, and all we can do is take them as they come, and the war itself is being prosecuted as well as anybody has ever seen.”
U.S. intelligence officials have also grown concerned in recent months about the expanding use of drones by Mexican drug cartels and the chance the technology could be used to attack American forces and personnel near the Mexican border.
“An uncorroborated report suggested that unidentified Mexican cartel leaders had authorized attacks using UAS (drones) carrying explosives against US law enforcement and US military personnel along the US-Mexico border,” according to a September 2025 bulletin reviewed by ABC News. “This type of attack against US personnel or interests inside the United States would be unprecedented but exemplifies a plausible scenario, although (cartels) typically avoid actions that would result in unwanted attention or responses from US authorities.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office told ABC News: “The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is actively working with state, local and federal security officials to protect our communities.”
And the LA Sheriff’s Department said that “in light of current global events” it is maintaining an “elevated level of readiness.”
“Out of an abundance of caution, and in recognition of current religious observances, the Department has continued increased patrols around places of worship, cultural institutions, and other prominent locations throughout the County,” the department said in a statement.
“We have proactively reviewed our deployment plans, enhanced coordination with our patrol stations, and ensured that additional resources are available should they be needed.”
ABC News contributor John Cohen, the former head of intelligence for the Department of Homeland Security, said he is concerned about the possibility of drone warfare coming from both the Pacific and Mexico.
“We know Iran has an extensive presence in Mexico and South America, they have relationships, they have the drones and now they have the incentive to conduct attacks,” Cohen said. “The FBI is smart for putting this warning out so that state and locals can be better able to prepare and respond to these types of threats. Information like this is critically important for law enforcement.”
While the FBI’s warning did not specify how or when vessels carrying attack drones could get close enough to the U.S. mainland, intelligence officials have long been concerned about equipment being pre-positioned — either on land or on ships at sea — in the event Israel or the U.S. struck Iran.
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