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FBI Director Kash Patel announced on Saturday that he has heightened the alert status for the bureau’s counterterrorism and intelligence divisions amid ongoing U.S. military operations targeting Iran.
“Yesterday evening, I directed our Counterterrorism and Intelligence teams to remain on high alert and mobilize all necessary security resources,” Patel stated in a post on X. “Our Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs) nationwide are diligently working around the clock to preempt and neutralize any potential threats to the United States.”
While acknowledging that U.S. military personnel are managing force protection abroad, Patel emphasized that the FBI is leading efforts to thwart attacks on domestic soil and is committed to continuous vigilance to safeguard American citizens.
In a briefing held at the White House on November 12, 2025, FBI Director Kash Patel addressed the press. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
A law enforcement insider revealed that this heightened state of readiness typically involves intensified surveillance of high-priority suspects, deployment of confidential informants, and thorough evaluation of technical intelligence data.
The heightened posture follows ongoing U.S. strikes on Iranian targets as tensions escalate across the region.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she is “in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland.”
The alert also unfolds during a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
Smoke rises over the city after the Israeli army launched a second wave of airstrikes on Iran in Tehran on Feb. 28, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Jason Pack, a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent and Fox News contributor, said heightened vigilance is standard practice when U.S. military operations intersect with adversaries that have historically responded through indirect or unconventional retaliation.
“The intelligence and counterterrorism communities work on this kind of scenario continuously, long before any conflict begins,” Pack said. “When the United States commits to a joint military campaign with Israel, the domestic threat environment doesn’t simply remain static. It could shift, potentially significantly.”
Pack said adversarial actors — including Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas’s external networks and Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps proxies — have historically demonstrated both intent and, in some cases, the capability to respond to American military commitments.
Pack said such steps reflect a proactive posture.
“This is not reactive,” he said. “It’s an ongoing discipline built into the daily work of understanding threats before they materialize.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Secret Service said it is actively monitoring the situation and coordinating with federal and local partners. The agency said its protective model is adaptable to the current security environment and that the public may notice an increased law enforcement presence around protected sites.
In Washington, D.C., the Metropolitan Police Department said it is closely monitoring events in Iran and coordinating with local, state and federal partners to safeguard residents and visitors.
Bombing occurs in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 28, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Getty Images)
“At this time, there are no known threats to DC,” the department said. “We are prepared to increase our presence as needed.”
Police urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.
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