FBI issues serious warning to California over ‘surprise Iran attack’
The FBI has issued a serious warning to California over a potential surprise attack from Iran as the conflict with the Middle Eastern country continues.
Things have only escalated since President Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu teamed up to launch strikes against Iran on 28 February, with several other Middle Eastern countries now involved in the conflict.
Iran launched retaliatory strikes against the US but targeted its overseas bases, while the Trump administration has already suggested that they failed an assassination attempt against the President, after the US killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in its initial strikes.
Although some are confident that Iranian missiles wouldn't reach the US, the FBI has now told Californian law enforcement to be on high alert about a potential attack on the West Coast.
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"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,' the alert obtained by ABC News said.
"We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack," the FBI update continued.
US intelligence forces are also reportedly concerned about the expanding use of drones by Mexican drug cartel and the prospect of the technology being used to attack American forces.
“An uncorroborated report suggested that unidentified Mexican cartel leaders had authorised 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.”
Why is the United States and Israel attacking Iran?
US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday (28 February) that the US and Israel have started 'major combat operations' in Iran after explosions were heard in multiple cities across the country.
Following a significant buildup of US forces in the region in recent weeks, Trump declared in a video posted on Truth Social that 'we are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground'.
Alongside hundreds of civilian casualties - including at least 153 people and children after a reported strike hit a school in Minab - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was confirmed dead following Israeli missile strikes around Tehran.
According to Trump, the aim of this weekend's attacks were to 'ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon'.
Meanwhile, in reference to Israel's retaliation strikes, the country's defence minister stated that the goal was to 'remove threats against the State of Israel'.
This has come after weeks of Trump threatening military action in Iran if the Middle Eastern country did not agree to a new deal over its nuclear programme. However, Iran has insisted repeatedly that its nuclear activities are 'entirely peaceful'.
Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu providing similar reasoning, saying: “My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, a short time ago, Israel and the United States embarked on an operation to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran."
Is the UK going to war with Iran?
This is a question that has been asked repeatedly since the major combat operation began in Iran, due to the nation being an ally of both the United States and Israel.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that British planes were 'in the sky' in the Middle East as part of a defensive operation 'to protect our people, our interests and our allies', and condemned Iran's retaliatory attacks on 'partners across the region'.
While the UK did not participate in the strikes, Starmer released a joint statement with the leaders of France and Germany, calling for Iran to 'refrain from indiscriminate military strikes'.
"Iran can end this now," Starmer said. "They should refrain from further strikes, give up their weapons programme and cease the appalling violence and oppression of the Iranian people – who deserve the right to determine their own future."
However, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Yvette Cooper, has said it is 'simply not true' that the UK is being dragged into another Iraq-style conflict in the Middle East.
While addressing a reported Iranian drone strike on a RAF base in Cyprus, she told Sky News on Monday, 2 March: "We took a very specific decision not to provide support for strikes that were taking place over this weekend. We have been clear that we believe there should be a diplomatic process, negotiations process."
Topics: Iran, Donald Trump
James Moorhouse