TheĀ White HouseĀ has issued a forceful rebuttal againstĀ ABC NewsĀ following a report suggesting thatĀ IranĀ planned to deploy drone strikes againstĀ CaliforniaĀ in retaliation forĀ Operation Epic Fury. Press SecretaryĀ Karoline LeavittĀ criticized the news organization for allegedly spreading misinformation by failing to disclose that theĀ FBIĀ warning was based on “unverified” intelligence. Demanding an immediate retraction,Ā LeavittĀ maintained that there is no verified threat to theĀ United StatesĀ mainland and accused the media of intentionally inciting public panic.
The heart of the controversy involves an internalĀ FBIĀ alert regarding unidentified vessels spotted off the coast ofĀ California. While initial reports warned of a potential surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles, theĀ Trump administrationĀ pointed out that the intelligence lacked specific details concerning timing or execution.Ā Governor Gavin NewsomĀ addressed the situation by stating thatĀ California intelligence teams are monitoring the coast, though he significantly downplayed the immediate credibility of the reported threats. Simultaneously, theĀ White HouseĀ is working to clarify its messaging regarding the broader military objectives ofĀ Operation Epic Fury.Ā Karoline LeavittĀ confirmed that the primary goal remains the neutralization of theĀ Iranian militaryĀ and its regional proxies. However, the administration remains under intense scrutiny over whetherĀ President Donald TrumpĀ is seekingĀ regime change, a point of confusion exacerbated by contradictory statements issued over the weekend regarding the operation’s ultimate end state.
