FBI Director Kash Patel stated he had placed the agency’s counterterrorism and counterintelligence units on elevated alert Saturday following a broad US and Israeli military strike on Iran.
Iran responded with attacks on US military installations and regional partners after President Donald Trump urged Iranians to overthrow their government.
In New York, the FBI and NYPD’s Joint Terrorism Task Force were tracking pro-Iran factions active on social media Saturday, applauding Iran’s retaliation and calling on supporters to mobilize — language officials characterized as aggressive though not yet actionable, per a task force situational awareness bulletin. No specific threats to US targets had been detected.
“Last night, I directed our counterterrorism and intelligence units to maintain heightened vigilance and deploy all necessary supporting security resources,” Patel said via social media.
Authorities were closely observing Hezbollah. The Iran-backed militant group had previously signaled it would refrain from involvement if US strikes on Iran were restricted, but its leadership has consistently stated that any action targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would alter that position. The task force indicated it was watching for any indication of a change.
The Department of Homeland Security continues to lack full congressional funding, and Secretary Kristi Noem stated Saturday she was collaborating with federal intelligence and law enforcement counterparts to detect and prevent any prospective dangers.
Iran has devoted years to attempting to quiet its critics within the United States, with New York frequently being a focus. In 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation detained an individual armed with a loaded military-grade rifle near the Brooklyn residence of Masih Alinejad, a Voice of America presenter and among Iran’s most notable dissidents, probing the incident as a potential assassination scheme. Twelve months prior, federal officials alleged that Iranian intelligence had orchestrated a kidnapping plot targeting her. Tehran rejected the accusation.