MONTEREY COUNTY — An intelligence alert suggesting a possible drone attack on California prompted numerous calls to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, officials said.
While the alert raised concern among residents, authorities emphasized that the threats are unverified and not imminent.
Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said her office has been coordinating closely with federal partners throughout the ongoing international conflict.
“The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is aware of concerns being raised by the public about a possible planned attack on California by Iran,” she said. “We have been receiving multiple calls throughout the afternoon from concerned residents regarding this information.”
The alert, circulated to law enforcement agencies in recent weeks, mentioned Iran could attempt a surprise attack using drones from an unidentified vessel off the coast of California. Officials stressed there are no specific details on timing, targets or methods, and no credible threat has been identified.
Nieto said the alleged threats are “unsubstantiated” and warned that sharing rumors could cause unnecessary fear.
“We ask that the public exercise caution and not share unverified and non-credible information so as to not cause unnecessary fear and panic in our communities,” she said.
The sheriff’s office said it will continue to monitor the situation and communicate any credible threats through official channels.
“If we are made aware of any credible and imminent threats to California or Monterey County, we will communicate this information to the public through our social media platforms and through the local media,” Nieto said.
Authorities urged residents to rely on official updates rather than social media posts or forwarded messages, noting that the alert was shared as a precautionary measure and does not indicate an imminent attack.
