American counterterrorism agencies are quietly keeping an eye on suspected sleeper cells within the U.S. following joint military strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, according to reports this week that cited counterterrorism experts. The increased surveillance comes amid rising concerns about potential retaliation from operatives or sympathizers linked to Iran.
In response, federal and local law enforcement have ramped up security across major U.S. cities as a precautionary measure, even though no specific or credible threats have been publicly identified.
This heightened alert follows a significant operation over the weekend, named Operation Epic Fury, which resulted in the deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking Iranian officials in a coordinated military effort between the U.S. and Israel. Security experts caution that the repercussions of these events could reach far beyond the Middle East.
“If ever there’s going to be a Hezbollah cell or a Hamas cell act in the United States in a violent way, it’s now,” Chris Swecker, a former assistant FBI director, told Fox News.
“Both organizations are Iranian-backed all the way. Both organizations have had a presence in the United States since the 1980s,” he added.
Swecker went on to say that U.S. state and federal authorities have, for some time now, been aware of domestic networks and sympathizers.
“We know that they have cells here. We also know that there are lone sympathizers, many of whom have come out in these protest groups,” he added, going on to cite former President Joe Biden’s insane open borders policy that likely made the situation worse.
“We just come off four years of open borders, and I have said before that that was an open door for terrorists to terrorist cells and terror sympathizers to infiltrate. Many were already here, but it’s impossible that they would not infiltrate into these particular groups and sort of act as catalysts, as enablers,” he told the outlet.
In light of the strikes against Iran, the FBI is taking steps to strengthen its domestic security measures. Director Kash Patel announced on Saturday that counterterrorism and intelligence teams are currently on high alert due to ongoing U.S. activities related to Iran.
“Last night, I instructed our Counterterrorism and intelligence teams to be on high alert and mobilize all assisting security assets needed,” Patel wrote on X.
Patel noted further that while the U.S. military is handling force protection overseas, the FBI “remains at the forefront of deterring attacks here at home” and will continue working around the clock to protect Americans.
Jason Pack, a retired supervisory special agent with the FBI and a Fox News contributor, stated that increased monitoring is standard practice when U.S. military operations engage with adversaries known to respond with indirect or unconventional strategies.
“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.”
He pointed out that adversarial groups — such as Hezbollah, Hamas’s external networks, and proxies of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps — have a history of both intent and, in some instances, the means to retaliate against U.S. military actions.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Monday warned that the possibility of Iranian “sleeper cells” is being “seriously” evaluated in the Lone Star state, The Hill reported.
Federal authorities are investigating a shooting that occurred on Sunday in Austin, Texas, as a potential terrorist attack. The shooter killed two people and injured 14 others.
He was wearing a shirt that had the phrase “Property of Allah” printed on it, along with a design featuring the Iranian flag.
“Early that morning, on Saturday morning, we made clear to the public that the state of Texas is taking the possibility of terrorist activity, lone wolf activity,” Abbott told Fox on Monday.