How Iran can bring the war to US soil in just days: See all the key targets MAPPED after terrifying California drone attack warning

Fears that Iran could activate sleeper agents hiding in the United States to launch attacks on US soil have exploded in recent days, and security experts are now explaining exactly where they might target them.

The FBI warned California law enforcement on Wednesday about the possibility of drone strikes on the West Coast in retaliation for the U.S. war against Iran, according to a surprising report from ABC.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected the report, saying there was no threat.

But as tensions continue to rise, experts have warned that Tehran could launch explosive drones from hidden locations just kilometers away from their targets, a devastating war tactic used in Ukraine.

The strategy could involve sleeper cells within the US or ships positioned offshore that could direct drones to critical infrastructure, Frank A Rose, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and policy advisor at the Department of Defence, told the Daily Mail.

The warning refers to Ukraine’s 2024 Operation Spider’s Web, in which small explosive drones were secretly transported deep into Russian territory and launched from trucks located near military bases.

“All you need is a foreign-flagged ship positioned offshore to launch hundreds of drones, or even a truck carrying them,” Rose said. ‘When I served as deputy administrator at the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees nuclear programs, the drone threat was an issue that concerned us deeply.’

He added that if Iran’s sleeper cells were operating in the United States, building such drones would not be particularly difficult because much of the technology is ready for use.

‘Most of this equipment can be purchased commercially and replaced with explosives such as grenades. It can be assembled in a garage and put into operation later, Rose said. ‘You don’t need advanced technology to create the psychological effect they’re looking for.’

Drones can be transported in pieces and assembled quickly, said Derek Reisfield, former president of drone and counter-drone company Ondas. This means that warehouses, farmland or commercial properties can be used as accommodation near potentially sensitive areas.

He noted that some security analysts have raised concerns about foreign-related land purchases located near military bases and critical infrastructure that could potentially provide access points for surveillance or other activities.

Chris Swecker, who was deputy FBI director in the mid-2000s, told the Daily Mail that Iran would try to target large gatherings, shopping malls and special events like the Oscars.

The warning raised concerns that major metropolitan areas including Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago could become potential targets if Tehran attempts to retaliate on U.S. soil.

‘This warning was not intended for public consumption. Many of these notes are released every day,” Swecker said, referring to possible drone strikes on Iran’s West Coast.

The next step is to ‘verify the threat and prepare for the worst,’ Swecker said.

As for drones, Rose said it would be ‘100 percent possible’ to deploy them from a ship offshore.

Iran has spent years building one of the world’s largest drone programs, producing thousands of Shahed-136 ‘kamikaze’ drones designed to travel long distances before striking targets with explosive payloads.

One possible target the expert highlighted was Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota.

‘Think of how many containers are on a typical container ship,’ he said. ‘How hard can it really be to make sure a container is positioned at the top, opened and suddenly 100 drones are released?

‘The crew operating the ship may have no idea what’s inside. Look at Operation Spider’s Web: From what I understand, the truck drivers involved didn’t even know there were drones hidden in the back.’

Operation Spiderweb reportedly involved more than 100 small explosive drones launched from hidden racks mounted on trucks parked near Russian airports, allowing the aircraft to be deployed just minutes away from the intended targets.

While the FBI’s warning focused on the possibility of launching drones from ships offshore, both Reisfield and Rose warned that Ukraine’s Operation Spider’s Web might be more likely.

Ukrainian attack drones with first-person perspective (FPV) have been smuggled into Russia in wooden containers that look like modular homes.

‘Ukraine destroyed $250 million to possibly $1 billion worth of Russian military equipment in just 20 to 30 minutes,’ Reisfield said.

‘This shows how a relatively simple tactic can be used to hit high-value targets, whether that be an airport, an oil refinery, a port or a military base. ‘The United States has great vulnerability to an attack like Operation Spider’s Web.’

“If I were planning an attack like this, I probably wouldn’t launch the drones from a ship,” Rose said.

‘I’d most likely use a truck-based setup and target softer sites like data centres.

‘Highly secure facilities, such as those managed by the National Nuclear Security Administration, have strong defenses. However, much of the country’s infrastructure is privately owned and does not always approach security in the same way that national security agencies do.’

He added that drone and missile attacks against Gulf countries, civilian targets and infrastructure are not just for military purposes.

“They are waging a political war,” Rose said. ‘Iranians are not stupid. They may be militarily weaker, but they are strategic. There’s a reason the regime has survived for so long.

‘I would like to see the regime go, but it has a deep-rooted structure. ‘If you remove one layer of leadership, another is ready to take its place.’

Attacks on high-rise buildings and luxury venues in Dubai have revealed what experts describe as a nightmare scenario: military or improvised drones targeting skyscrapers in densely populated US cities.

Analysts say another important weak point is the ‘soft underbelly’ of American military bases; Some of these bases are surrounded by farmland owned by Chinese companies.

While Iran’s potential drone threat dominates current security concerns, experts warn that the longer-term risk could come from China’s increased ownership of land near sensitive U.S. infrastructure.

In the footage published on the Telegram channel Mash, a truck full of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles was seen exploding in the Amur region.

Chinese company Fufeng Group purchased approximately 370 acres of land for a corn milling project between 2021 and 2022 near Grand Forks Air Force Base, which hosts precision drone technology and intelligence units.

Concerns about foreign-related property purchases near sensitive military areas have intensified in recent years.

According to current estimates, Chinese organizations and individuals currently own between 349,000 and 384,000 acres of U.S. farmland.

This represents less than one percent of all foreign-held land in America, with major holdings concentrated in states such as Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Utah and Virginia.

The possibility of deploying drones near sensitive areas has led to renewed scrutiny of foreign-related land purchases near U.S. military bases and critical infrastructure, Reisfield said.

Several cases involving China-linked companies have already raised alarm among national security officials.

Chinese company Fufeng Group purchased approximately 370 acres of land in Grand Forks, North Dakota, for a corn milling project between 2021 and 2022, near the Grand Forks Air Force Base, which hosts precision drone technology and intelligence units.

In another example, the Biden administration in 2024 ordered a China-backed firm to withdraw from a cryptocurrency mining operation located within a mile of Francis E Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, a key facility housing part of the United States’ intercontinental ballistic missile force.

Additional purchases have been reported near Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas, while a Chinese intelligence officer has previously been linked to the purchase of golf courses near Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, a key center supporting the US nuclear deterrent.

The Daily Mail contacted the War Office for comment.