FBI Advisory on Iranian Drone Threat Creates Confusion as White House Downplays Concerns

An FBI advisory about a potential Iranian drone threat off California’s coast sparked confusion among law enforcement agencies this week, only to be forcefully contradicted by White House officials hours after the information became public.

The advisory, distributed through federal security channels to California law enforcement agencies, referenced unverified intelligence suggesting Iran had “aspired” to launch unmanned aerial systems from a vessel offshore. The alert was shared with multiple police departments across the state, including those in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Berkeley.

FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson confirmed the distribution of the alert, posting its contents on social media platform X. “We recently acquired unverified information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event of U.S. strikes on Iran,” the alert stated.

The advisory notably lacked specific information about potential targets, dates, or operational details, leading local officials to emphasize there was no indication of an imminent threat.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded sharply to media coverage of the advisory, demanding that reports be “immediately retracted” for “providing false information to intentionally alarm the American people.” Leavitt clarified that the reporting was based on “one email that was sent to local law enforcement in California about a single, unverified tip,” and insisted: “No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom echoed this sentiment, stating there was no verified threat to the state while confirming that officials remained in communication with federal authorities as a precaution.

Tom Warrick, a former Department of Homeland Security official, provided context about the nature of such advisories. “When you see the word ‘unverified,’ that generally means this is aspirational,” Warrick explained. He noted that while such advisories aren’t routine, during periods of heightened tensions with countries like Iran, federal authorities often err on the side of caution.

“Given the war with Iran, and given Iran’s known tendencies, it’s only prudent for the FBI to put out a notice to local law enforcement to be aware that this is what we know — but this is all we know,” Warrick said.

Intelligence of this nature typically stems from intercepted communications where foreign actors discuss potential attack concepts without evidence of capability or follow-through. Distributing such intelligence allows local authorities to connect suspicious activities, such as unusual drone purchases or maritime behavior, with broader federal reporting.

Michael Eisenstadt, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, noted that while Iran has experimented with sea-based launch concepts in the past, including containerized missile systems deployed from modified merchant vessels, projecting such capability across the globe would present significant challenges.

“The idea is something they’ve clearly thought about,” Eisenstadt said. “They’ve demonstrated elements of this concept before.” However, he added that positioning assets close enough to the U.S. coastline would be difficult, describing such an operation as “a little too complicated for them to do at this point.”

Eisenstadt suggested that if Iran were to retaliate against the U.S. homeland, it would more likely involve “inspired or commissioned attacks” rather than a complex maritime drone launch.

The incident highlights ongoing concerns about drone security along the West Coast. In 2019, multiple U.S. Navy destroyers operating near California’s Channel Islands reported encounters with unidentified unmanned aerial systems during training operations. More recently, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton confirmed multiple instances of drones entering restricted airspace in late 2024, though officials said these incursions did not impact operations or pose immediate threats.

Current federal law limits the authority to disable or intercept drones to specific federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security. State and local law enforcement agencies generally lack independent authority to jam or seize unmanned aerial systems without federal coordination, though many have pushed Congress in recent years to expand counter-drone authority.

Security analysts note that the proliferation of inexpensive drone technology has complicated airspace monitoring near both civilian and military facilities, creating a backdrop against which even low-confidence intelligence may prompt precautionary alerts.