Drones Enter the Fight — Is America Heating Up for War?

Mar 13, 2026

U.S. Military Expert Warns Iran Could Unleash “Killer Drone Swarms” on California at Any Time

Iran could launch a deadly drone attack on California at any moment, and the United States is largely unprepared to respond to such a scenario, according to a U.S. military expert.

According to Brett Velicovich, a former U.S. Army intelligence and special operations veteran, Iran now has the technology, capability, and motivation to carry out large-scale drone strikes against targets in California.

Velicovich spent years using drones to track and eliminate leaders of Islamic State and other terrorist organizations. He said America’s adversaries are almost certainly exploring ways to launch drone attacks targeting the California coastline.

He added that warnings issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to local law enforcement highlight how serious the threat has become.

“We are extremely vulnerable to drone attacks,” Velicovich said. “We are not prepared for this.”

Long-Range Attack Drones Capable of Remote Control

Velicovich said Iran likely possesses thousands of attack drones that can be controlled from thousands of miles away and fly hundreds of miles before striking their targets.

“These are long-range, one-way attack drones that are extremely dangerous and can be launched in swarms,” he explained.

Last July, Velicovich was praised by Donald Trump as one of America’s leading experts in drone warfare.

According to Velicovich, such drones could be launched from vessels stationed offshore, echoing warnings reportedly shared by the FBI with law enforcement agencies in California. They could even be deployed from unmanned ships.

“You don’t even need people nearby,” he said. “These systems could be launched via Starlink from a vessel up to 1,000 miles away.”

U.S. actions in Iran have increased the motivation for potential attacks on American soil. Photo: Getty.

Risk of Attacks From Mexico and South America

Velicovich also warned that Iran’s connections in Mexico and parts of South America could enable drone attacks to be launched from south of the U.S. border.

He said Iran’s strategy could involve “spreading fear” through drone strikes targeting crowds or critical infrastructure to create maximum psychological impact.

“Targets could include population centers, infrastructure, ports, or locations that could disrupt the economy,” he said. “This is a national concern.”

Major sporting events, hotels, office towers, government buildings, and military bases could all become potential targets.

Layered Defense Needed to Counter Drone Threat

The former military drone specialist—now founder of drone manufacturer Powerus—said attack drones can carry explosives and strike targets with extremely high precision once GPS coordinates are entered.

To counter the threat, he said the U.S. would need a layered defense system.

Anti-drone measures could include interceptor missiles, electronic jamming devices to disrupt guidance and control systems, or laser weapons designed to blind sensors and destroy a drone’s electronics.

“There is no single solution to counter drones,” Velicovich said. “Sometimes you may even need soldiers with machine guns to shoot them down.”

He stressed that the FBI was right to warn both law enforcement agencies and the American public about the possibility of such an attack in California.

“There is credible intelligence suggesting this is a real threat,” he said. “That’s why authorities have a responsibility to alert Americans and urge local law enforcement to stay vigilant.”

Los Angeles Police Reassure the Public

The Los Angeles Police Department said it is closely monitoring the situation and has issued a statement reassuring residents.

“We want to reassure the people of Los Angeles that we continue to work closely with federal, state, and local partners to share intelligence related to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” the department said.

“We receive real-time updates, assess all credible leads, and adjust security measures as needed to ensure the safety of our city.”

The statement also emphasized that there is currently no specific or credible threat identified against Los Angeles, but police remain prepared to protect public safety against any potential risks.

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