The White House on Tuesday forcefully rejected an ABC News report alleging that Iran was planning drone attacks against California in response to Operation Epic Fury. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized the outlet for what she described as misleading coverage, arguing that the underlying FBI intelligence cited in the report was āunverified.ā She called for an immediate retraction and maintained that there is no credible threat to the U.S. homeland, accusing media organizations of unnecessarily alarming the public.
The dispute stems from an internal FBI alert concerning unidentified vessels near the California coastline. While initial reporting suggested a possible drone-based attack, administration officials said the intelligence lacked concrete details, including timing, method, and attribution.
Gavin Newsom stated that state agencies are monitoring the situation closely while cautioning against overstating the immediacy of any threat. Meanwhile, the administration continues to defend its broader strategy toward Iran. Leavitt reiterated that Operation Epic Fury targets Iranian military capabilities and affiliated groups, even as questions persist over whether Donald Trump is pursuing regime change following mixed public statements.
