A reported Iranian threat to launch drones against targets in California appears, for now, to lack credibility, according to the executive director of the Port of Los Angeles.
The issue emerged after reports indicated that the FBI had warned police departments in California about a possible Iranian retaliation scenario in which unmanned aerial vehicles could be launched from a vessel off the U.S. coast if Washington carried out strikes against Iran.
Speaking during an online media meeting, Gene Seroka said that based on discussions with federal, state and local law enforcement partners, the threat does not currently appear credible.
The FBI alert, distributed in late February, referred to unverified information suggesting that Iran might be planning a surprise drone attack against unspecified targets in California. No further operational details were included in the warning.
The concern was taken seriously because of the strategic importance of Southern California’s logistics infrastructure. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which together form the San Pedro Bay complex, are the busiest in the United States and handled a combined 20 million containers in 2025. They are widely viewed as critical supply chain infrastructure.
Iran has already used drones in attacks on ships, ports and other targets in the Persian Gulf region since U.S. and Israeli strikes began on February 28, which helped amplify concern around the warning.
Seroka said intelligence assessments are being coordinated continuously across agencies. He stressed that ports, airports and utilities remain attractive targets for hostile actors and said that security teams never take their focus off these risks. He added, however, that any judgment depends on the quality of the intelligence being received.
As part of that wider response, Seroka said city police and fire officials were due to meet through Los Angeles’ emergency operations structure. He also noted that information passing through the port’s cybersecurity center is funneled through city channels and ultimately to the National Crime Information Center in Washington.
