The dispute centers on a leaked FBI bulletin circulated in February that described a scenario in which Iran could retaliate for U.S. strikes by launching unmanned aerial vehicles from a vessel off the West Coast toward unspecified targets.
On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to social media to demand that ABC News remove the story.
“TO BE CLEAR: No such threat from Iran to our homeland exists, and it never did,” Leavitt added.
After the news of the warning surfaced, officials in California rushed to ease fears, emphasizing that there is no imminent danger.
Iran is increasingly relying on drones in war
Air defenses have intercepted many of the projectiles, but several attacks have caused damage to ports, ships, energy facilities, and other infrastructure. Iranian drone strikes have also targeted oil infrastructure and shipping routes in the Gulf, disrupting energy markets and contributing to rising oil prices.
Military officials say the attacks illustrate how relatively inexpensive drones have become one of the defining weapons of modern warfare.
Because the aircraft can be produced far more cheaply than many of the missile systems used to shoot them down, they allow countries or militias to overwhelm air defenses through sheer volume.
Authorities said the funds were held in a private cryptocurrency wallet and were allegedly linked to a company that supplied navigation equipment for Shahed drones, which have been deployed in conflicts around the world.
