FBI Alert on Potential Iranian Drone Attacks in California

An FBI memo has raised concerns about potential Iranian drone attacks on unspecified targets in California from an unidentified vessel off the U.S. coast. According to multiple sources, there is no known specific or imminent danger underpinning the memo.

The confidential alert, issued by the FBI through the multi-agency Los Angeles Joint Regional Intelligence Center, warns that Iran may attempt to launch drones at unspecified targets in California from an unidentified vessel off the U.S. coast. The information stems from an unverified tip received before the recent conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran.

California Governor Gavin Newsom assured that while there is no imminent threat, the state remains prepared for any emergency. He mentioned that drone issues have been a top concern and that collaborative efforts with the State Operations Center are ongoing. However, he has not discussed the threats directly with President Trump. The governor's office stated that the bulletin was one of many security updates received daily from federal partners.

Law enforcement officials in California have emphasized that the warning is not actionable and there has been no further indication of such an attack since the memo was issued. Federal investigators often share information of questioned credibility with local law enforcement partners out of an abundance of caution, according to CNN. One law enforcement source said federal and state security officials have deemed the information to be 'aspirational' in nature and do not currently believe there is an imminent threat.

Homeland security experts have pointed out Iran's history of using drones in the Middle East and its alleged involvement in murder-for-hire plots against dissidents based in the U.S. However, officials stress that the current warning is cautionary and part of routine information-sharing procedures to maintain vigilance and preparedness.

President Donald Trump said later Wednesday that the government is investigating the unverified claim. 'It's being investigated,' the president told reporters when asked about the FBI memo. 'But you have a lot of things happening, and all we could do is take them as they come.' Pressed on if he has been briefed on the potential number of Iranian sleeper cells located within the United States, the president told reporters, 'I have been.'

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the message to law enforcement was based on unverified intelligence and emphasized that no such threat from Iran to our homeland exists. Police in Los Angeles and San Francisco confirmed they are monitoring world events for any risks to their cities and working closely with state and federal authorities.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt demanded Thursday that ABC News retract a story claiming that the FBI has officially warned Iran may try to attack California with drones. According to FoxNews, Leavitt blasted the post, writing, 'This post and story should be immediately retracted by ABC News for providing false information to intentionally alarm the American people.' She added further, '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?'

ABC News has since updated its story with an editor's note declaring, 'The FBI has posted a fuller version of its alert to California authorities, which includes that the information was unverified. The latest version of this story has been updated with the full statement.' Asked about the unverified report in the alert, 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.'