The FBI distributed the alert to California police departments in late February 2026, warning that Iran had allegedly considered launching a "surprise attack" using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from an unidentified vessel off the U.S. coast, specifically targeting unspecified locations in California if the United States carried out strikes against Iran.
"We recently acquired information that as of early February 2026, 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 bulletin stated, according to reports from ABC News and other sources. "We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack."
