Unidentified drones fly over military facilities in the US
In recent weeks, dozens of unidentified large drones have been spotted flying in the US state of New Jersey, particularly near important military installations. The Washington Post reported on this. Federal authorities stated that they have no answers yet but added that they do not believe the drones pose a public threat.
On Monday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that drones had been spotted near important facilities, such as the military research and production facilities of the Picatinny Arsenal, as well as over the golf course of US President-elect Donald Trump in Bedminster. Following these reports, the Federal Aviation Administration imposed restrictions on drone flights near Bedminster and the arsenal while authorities investigate the incidents.
It is alleged that these drones are larger than those typically used by private citizens who have the appropriate permits. Republican Congressman Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, citing unnamed sources, told Fox News that the drones allegedly came from an Iranian "mothership" in the Atlantic Ocean. And that they pose a threat to national security, and also proposed shooting them down, the BBC writes.
However, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh categorically rejected these claims. At a briefing on Wednesday, she stated: "There is no truth to this. There is no Iranian so-called 'mothership' off the coast of the United States that is flying drones toward the United States."
The Pentagon's initial assessment, Ms. Singh added, is that "these are not drones of a foreign organization or adversary." OSINT analyst MT Anderson published satellite imagery from December 8 showing two Iranian ships that could be drone carriers.
Iranian drone carrier ships in Bandar Abbas, December 2024.
Photo credits: MT Anderson
They were anchored in Bender Abbas, 12,000 kilometers from New Jersey.
According to him, these Iranian ships were also there as of December 11, according to satellite data.
In November, unidentified drones were spotted over RAF Lakenheath in the UK, where US F-15E and F-35A fighter jets are based.