this post was submitted on 11 Mar 2026
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The FBI warned police departments in California in recent days that Iran could retaliate for American attacks by launching drones at the West Coast, according to an alert reviewed by ABC News.

“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,” according to the alert distributed at the end of February. “We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.”

The warning came just as the Trump administration launched its ongoing assault against the Islamic Republic. Iran has been retaliating with drone strikes against targets throughout the Mideast.

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[–] choui4@lemmy.zip 34 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

There is no possible way this would happen. None. You expect me to believe that an unknown ship would be able to get within a striking distance to americas shores, then a tony ass drone would fly undetected onto the WEST coast of Cali; all so they could blow up one medium sized building? Give me a fucking break.

False flag written all over it

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Boy, do I have news for you about how weakly controlled shipping is. There are so many ships moving around with legit seeming purposes that actually do things they're not supposed to. And sometimes the people who crew and own the ship aren't even from the place the ship is registered!

It's not like they'd be loading satellite visible drones from an Iranian port on an Iranian flagged container ship post attack and then running full steam toward San Diego.

[–] choui4@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Im aware of that and how ships are often flagged from other nations etc etc etc.

I just dont think that one if the most heavily surveilled nations on earth could lead a ship full of drone the size of small cars, drop anchor, then launch an attack on the west coast. It doesn't make any sense at all. This is just more trump bs. More excuses for his terrorism

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 6 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

I live in Hawaii, which has banned most fireworks and gets almost every import by ship that comes through a handful of ports. We're blanketed with fireworks every New Years anyway. Literal shipping containers full of gunpowder. Just mixed in with all the legal goods. We've also had Chinese fishing vessels in US waters multiple times without consequence.

It's not about being invisible, it's about looking like you're doing mundane things until you're not. Most ships don't have schedules that are both known by the US and precise enough that dropping anchor would be meaningful. And all they need is a shipping container of drones to do some real damage to infrastructure. That's nothing.

I can totally believe this is bullshit by Trump, but it's not because doing it would be especially hard or implausible.

[–] choui4@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Shipping mildly-illegal goods via a third party is completely different than launching a literall terrorist attack on the strongest, most aggresive, north violent police states in the world

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Not while it's at sea. The whole point is illegal containers pass all the way through ports without any knowledge of their contents. We've had fireworks busts at port. You know how many people got charged for that? Zero. No one could be proven to be responsible. And drones don't even need to make it to through the very limited inspections we have at port. Or even travel to the United States at all. San Diego is like 30 miles from a major Mexican shipping hub.

The police and surveillance state will not protect us. Because it is and has always been a sham. Being as secure as you imagine would restrict profit, annoy consumers, and require manpower they don't want to pay for. They'd rather just take the hit and funnel the money through arms manufacturers for the response.

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[–] nullPointer@programming.dev 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

remember that balloon(s) that had everyone shitting themselves?

[–] HermitBee@feddit.uk 3 points 1 week ago

99 of them, right?

[–] choui4@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago

Yup and the supposed "IRaNi DoRoNes!!"

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[–] I_Jedi@lemmy.today 14 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

How is Iran going to get the drones over there?

[–] Death__BySnuSnu@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] Zedstrian@sopuli.xyz 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

A swallow carrying a drone?

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 week ago

European or African swallow, they have different unladen velocities.

[–] matlag@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Some Russian drones fly over Europe from time to time, to test the defences and/or gather intel. They launch from vessels that look civilians, sail under a third party flag, and transport legit goods to further confuse investigations.

Ukraine did a remarkable strike deep inside Russia by having their attack drones carried in a truck driven by a Russian driver who had no clue what he was carrying.

So the drones may have been dispatched some time ago and could very well be on US soil waiting to be activated, or they could be transported on any vessel around.

[–] Cherries@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Are you claiming that Iran has had a boat floating around the Pacific loaded up with drones for the express purpose of striking California? Because Iran would have had to launch that boat a long time ago to be relevant right now.

Driving a truck into your neighbor's backyard is very different from sending a boat loaded up with flying go-karts to act as retaliation. That kind of MAD only works as deterrence if the threatening party informs others of the threat.

[–] matlag@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I'm saying they could, and could have had these for a while, they may have a few ones that they were sending just to check if the US would detect them, they may have some on the go as a permanent operation, just like a patrol. I would say that's unlikely, because the risk of getting caught was probably perceived as bigger than the benefit of having a strike opportunity. But as several others said before: sea traffic is barely checked.

And another option is they already have some drones hidden on US soils and dormant agents ready to launch them.

When you say it can't happen, you understand that Russia does it in Europe regularly, right? Once in a while, they will even send drones flying above cities, airports, military bases, etc. just to see if they trigger any kind of response.

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[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It directly says how in the post summary.

[–] I_Jedi@lemmy.today 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

How did Iran get the "unidentified vessel" there?

[–] MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] I_Jedi@lemmy.today 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Where was the vessel loaded with drones, and then floated from?

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Do you think all of Iran's drones are exclusively inside Iran or at no point during this highly telegraphed military buildup could they have "unaffiliated" dockworkers load crates onto an "unaffiliated" ship? This isn't a particularly complex plan we're taking about here and international shipping is probably the least controlled transport system in the entire world.

[–] I_Jedi@lemmy.today 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I'm trying to understand Iran's plan here, as stated by the article.

  • It takes at least a month to get from Iran to California, so any movement of the drones must have happened during the buildup or earlier. It feels like sleeper agent theory to me.
  • Why would Iran risk getting fucked up by the Coast Guard by launching the drones by boat? The crew will all end up dead or captured by doing it that way, since there's no friendly ports around. Wouldn't it be better to send the drones out from some compound Iran bought on land, in the Californian desert somewhere?
  • Even if Iran has a boat under their total control, they can use it better for supplies than military action. If we're going with Iran sleeper agent theory, it would be better to unload the drones onto some beach somewhere, and then have the Iranian agents move the stuff into their compound. Or, as you say, have some "unaffiliated" dockworkers hand the stuff off to the Iranian agents.
  • If Iran builds the drones on-site or legally orders some drones in the US, then there's even less need for a boat.
[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

So now your objection is the idea of launching from boat rather than how could they possibly get drones to within striking distance of the US?

And you think the idea of pre-deploying $35k drones for potential conflict against a president that has been antagonistic to them for almost a decade is infeasible? The county that is known for using proxy forces and smuggling weapons?

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[–] 800XL@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago

Oooh a false flag. One of many we'll see from the Trump administration I'll bet.

[–] mercano@lemmy.world 12 points 2 weeks ago

I would think Gulf Coast oil refineries would be a better target. You’d further constrain the US gas supply, and bring the war to red states, both of which could erode support for the President and his war.

[–] Eggyhead@lemmy.world 11 points 2 weeks ago

I can’t imagine Trump would care too much what happens in a blue state unless it can turn them MAGA.

[–] 18107@aussie.zone 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This just sounds like another excuse for a "preemptive strike". Why would Iran attack a state that is generally opposed to war?

The government lies. We've seen them lie. We've seen so many cases of the CIA lying. Why would I believe the FBI about this.

[–] SirActionSack@aussie.zone 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Why would Iran attack a state that is generally opposed to war?

This is just so America that I almost think you're taking the piss.

The rest of the world doesn't care or even know about the politics of whatever states.

[–] 18107@aussie.zone 3 points 1 week ago

I'm not from America.

The rest of the world is watching the orange idiot and wondering what he'll destroy next.

I just tried to send a package to another country (also not America) and the entire process has been made far more complicated because his tariffs exist. I can see the politicians in my country trying to follow his lead and destroy this country too. I hear about the holocaust level of kidnapping on the news, and watch people trying to fight back on social media.

America is on the front stage of the world, for all the wrong reasons. Most of the world is aware of America, and really does care about it's politics.

[–] SidTheShuckle@piefed.social 7 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Man why tf cali? Also that doesnt sound possible. Iran has a better chance attacking the east coast

[–] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 week ago

According to google maps it's about 7200 miles to hit the east coast or 7800 miles to hit the west coast.

So yeah technically closer but surprisingly close.

Plus going for west coast is mostly over ocean or China so less US military bases that would maybe be able to intercept it.

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[–] Gates9@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Gee that would be awful if they attacked us for attacking them 😩😩😩

[–] innermachine@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Got to say I am glad I live in one of the least populated states and very unlikely to suffer from a foreign attack. Used to live near Boston, always figured if the nukes dropped I'd be in the first wave of casualties lol. Now I'll just have to deal with all the nuclear fallout etc... a slower more painful death! Wahoo!

[–] caboose2006@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"aspired". We all have aspirations. Doesn't mean we're capable of doing them.

[–] TheMinister@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 week ago

Iran is fully capable. They’re not some small spec of a country in the middle of a desert. A war with Iran is a terrible idea, not only thinking of their size but the amount of refugees it could create.

[–] resipsaloquitur@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Get wrecked, Pedo Prez.

[–] pfr@piefed.social 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Rooting for Iran here. Not sorry. America is a bully.

[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 week ago (6 children)

California didn't vote for Trump.

[–] Soup@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Do you think Iran cares? That girls school didn’t commit heinous crimes against Iranians but got obliterated all the same. The US has show quite clearly that it doesn’t matter, so why should their victims be held to a higher standard? Besides, the targets would be US tech which is a valid target.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

No some people in California did. There is in state that didn't vote for Trump. Just 38.3 percent voted for him that is a lot of people.

[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago

Of course, but the state as a whole didn't. The people that do vote for him overwhelmingly live in flyover rural areas, but those wouldn't be tempting targets for Iran.

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[–] jaykrown@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago (3 children)

If the Iranian government ever decides to attack on USA soil they're asking to become a wasteland. The country and military I'm most afraid of is of the USA. They will bomb every single government facility in Iran in about 2 weeks and I wouldn't rule out nukes.

[–] curiousaur@reddthat.com 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Yeah it would be the stupidest thing they could possibly do. The approval rating of the war is under 20%.

That said, I worry that these "warnings" are a precursor to a false flag attack.

[–] TrollTrollrolllol@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

That and just plain old manufacturing consent

[–] MerryJaneDoe@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Yes. I wonder if that's an option on the gambling platforms?

My guess is they hit an Army base, so that they can better control the narrative.

[–] BlameTheAntifa@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

This is what the administration wants. They have been openly laying the groundwork for it as an excuse to seize domestic power militarily. If there is an attack on US soil it is solely the Republican party that bears all blame and responsibility.

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