California Alert: Newsom Watches Iran Drone Threat

Investing.com – California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed on Wednesday that state officials have been monitoring reports of a possible drone attack by Iran, but law enforcement sources say the threat is not currently considered credible.

According to The Los Angeles Times, a federal memo issued in early February 2026 warned that Iran allegedly intends to use unmanned aerial vehicles to launch an attack from an unidentified ship off the U.S. coast, with targets specifically in California. The warning was based on intelligence received by the U.S. Coast Guard and distributed to agencies within the federal joint counterterrorism task force, at a time when U.S.-Israel military actions against Iran have entered their third week.

“Regarding the drone attack, we have received this information. We have been working through the State Operations Center (SOC), which was established immediately after the war began,” Newsom said at a press conference on Wednesday. The governor added that his administration has been “working with emergency services offices and ensuring we pass along any information received at the local level.”

Law enforcement sources told The Los Angeles Times that the warning is precautionary and there are no signs that Iran is planning or capable of successfully launching an attack. “It is not currently considered credible,” said an anonymous counterterrorism official familiar with the memo.

California immediately established a state operations center after hostilities broke out on February 28, 2026, when U.S.-Israel joint operations killed Iran’s top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a targeted strike aimed at regime change. Newsom stated that the state has “formed some working groups specifically to address these concerns,” but declined to provide further details.

Defense Sector Response

On Wednesday, defense stocks showed mixed performance, with increasing attention on counter-drone technology. RTX Corp (NYSE: RTX), which produces counter-drone systems, rose slightly by 0.26% to $207.54, while Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) fell 0.49% to $648.02. Boeing (NYSE: BA) declined 1.53% to $214.43.

The counter-drone technology sector has attracted significant investment, with Chaos Industries raising $510 million in November 2025 at a valuation of $4.5 billion. Recently, as of March 6, 2026, Ondas Inc. secured approximately $6 million in orders for counter-drone systems from defense and homeland security clients.

Public Sentiment and Background

Public support for the Iran conflict is at a historic low. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, only 27% of Americans support the action, while The New York Times reports a support rate of 41%—significantly lower than levels seen in previous U.S. military interventions.

This warning adds another layer of concern to a war that has already sparked substantial domestic opposition. While California officials emphasize that they are taking preventive measures, there is no credible evidence that the threat is more than theoretical and not imminent.

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