How Iran can deliver the struggle to US soil in simply days: See all the important thing targets MAPPED after terrifying California drone assault warning

Fears that Iran could activate sleeper agents hidden in the US to launch attacks on American soil have exploded in recent days, with security experts now revealing exactly where they are most likely to target.

The FBI alerted California law enforcement about the possibility of drone strikes on the West Coast in retaliation for the US war against Iran on Wednesday, according to a startling report by ABC. 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt  has since dismissed the report, saying there is no threat. 

But as tensions continue to escalate, experts have warned that Tehran could replicate a devastating battlefield tactic used in Ukraine to launch explosive drones from hidden locations just miles from their targets.

Frank A Rose, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and a policy advisor at the Defense Department, told the Daily Mail the strategy could involve sleeper cells inside the United States or vessels positioned offshore that are able to direct drones at critical infrastructure.

The warning references Ukraine’s 2024 Operation Spiderweb, when small explosive drones were secretly transported deep into Russian territory and launched from trucks positioned near military bases.

‘All you would need is a ship under a foreign flag positioned offshore to launch hundreds of drones, or even a truck carrying them,’ Rose said. ‘When I served as deputy administrator at the National Nuclear Security Administration, overseeing nuclear programs, the drone threat was something we were deeply concerned about.’

He added that if Iranian sleeper cells were operating in the US, constructing such drones would not be especially difficult because a lot of the technology is off-the-shelf.

‘Much of this equipment can be purchased commercially and modified with explosives like a grenade. It could be assembled in a garage and then deployed,’ Rose said. ‘You don’t need sophisticated technology to create the psychological impact they might be seeking.’

Derek Reisfield, former president of drone and counter-drone company Ondas, said the drones could be transported in parts and assembled quickly. That means warehouses, farmland or commercial properties could potentially be used as staging locations near sensitive sites.

He noted some security analysts have raised concerns about foreign-linked land purchases near military bases and critical infrastructure, which could potentially provide access points for surveillance or other activities.

Chris Swecker, an assistant FBI director in the mid-2000s, told the Daily Mail that Iran would likely attempt to target large gatherings, malls and special events such as the Oscars. 

The warning has raised concerns that major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago could become potential targets if Tehran attempts retaliation on US soil.

‘This alert was not meant for public consumption. Many of these memos go out every day,’ said Swecker, referring to the potential Iranian drone strikes on the West Coast.

Swecker said the next step is to ‘corroborate the threat and prepare for the worst.’

As for the drones themselves, Rose said deploying them from a ship positioned offshore would be ‘100 percent possible.’ 

‘Think about how many containers are on a typical container ship,’ he said. ‘How difficult would it really be to make sure one container is positioned at the top, opens up and suddenly releases 100 drones? 

‘The crew operating the ship might have no idea what’s inside. Look at Operation Spiderweb: My understanding is the truck drivers involved didn’t even know there were drones hidden in the back.’

Operation Spiderweb reportedly involved more than 100 small explosive drones launched from concealed racks mounted on trucks parked near Russian airfields, allowing the aircraft to be deployed just minutes from their intended targets. 

While the FBI alert focused on the possibility of drones being launched from offshore vessels, both Reisfield and Rose warned that Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb could be more likely.

‘In just 20 to 30 minutes, Ukraine destroyed somewhere between $250million and possibly $1billion worth of Russian military equipment,’ Reisfield said.

‘It shows how a relatively simple tactic can be used to strike high-value targets, whether it’s an airport, oil refinery, port or military base. The US has a huge vulnerability to an attack like Operation Spiderweb.’

‘If I were planning such an attack, I probably wouldn’t launch the drones from a ship,’ Rose said. 

‘I would more likely use a truck-based setup and target softer sites such as data centers. 

‘Highly secure facilities like those run by the National Nuclear Security Administration have strong defenses. But much of the country’s infrastructure is privately owned and doesn’t always approach security the way national security agencies do.’ 

He added that the drone and missile attacks against the Gulf states, civilian targets and infrastructure are not just about a military objective.

‘They’re waging a political war,’ Rose said. ‘The Iranians aren’t stupid. They may be weaker militarily, but they’re strategic. There’s a reason the regime has survived this long. 

‘I would like to see the regime gone, but it’s deeply entrenched. If you remove one layer of leadership, another is ready to take its place.’ 

Strikes on high-rise buildings and luxury locations in Dubai have revealed what experts describe as a nightmare scenario: drones, whether military or improvised, targeting skyscrapers in densely populated US cities.

Analysts say another major vulnerability is the ‘soft belly’ of American military bases, some of which are surrounded by farmland owned by Chinese companies. 

While Iran’s potential drone threat dominates current security concerns, experts warn the longer-term risk may lie in China’s expanding ownership of land near sensitive US infrastructure.

Concerns about foreign-linked property purchases near sensitive military sites have intensified in recent years.

Chinese entities and individuals currently own between 349,000 and 384,000 acres of US agricultural land, according to available estimates.

That represents less than one percent of all foreign-held land in America, with major holdings concentrated in states including Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Utah and Virginia.

Reisfield said the possibility of staging drones near sensitive sites has drawn renewed scrutiny to foreign-linked land purchases close to US military bases and critical infrastructure.

Several cases involving Chinese-connected companies have already raised alarms among national security officials.

In Grand Forks, North Dakota, the Chinese company Fufeng Group purchased about 370 acres for a corn-milling project between 2021 and 2022 near Grand Forks Air Force Base, which hosts sensitive drone technology and intelligence units.

In another case, the Biden administration in 2024 ordered a Chinese-backed firm to divest from a cryptocurrency mining operation located within a mile of Francis E Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, a key installation housing part of the United States’ intercontinental ballistic missile force.

Additional purchases have been reported near Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas, while a Chinese intelligence officer was previously linked to the purchase of golf courses near Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, a major hub supporting the US nuclear deterrent.

The Daily Mail has contacted the Department of War for comment.