The Pentagon has recently dismissed a claim made by a New Jersey Congressman, Jeff Van Drew, that an “Iranian mothership” was off the coast of the United States, launching drones into the air. This claim, made during a hearing on the FAA’s budget, sparked a lot of attention, especially as people in the region began reporting strange sightings in the sky, many of which they believed were drones. As these reports became more frequent, there was a growing sense of unease, with some questioning whether the United States was facing a real security threat or if it was just a case of overreaction.

While officials from the Pentagon, including Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh, quickly dismissed the mothership story, they did confirm that the U.S. Coast Guard had seen mysterious low-flying aircraft near one of their ships off New Jersey’s coast. The Coast Guard has since teamed up with the FBI and other local authorities to investigate these incidents, but no immediate threat has been identified.
Interestingly, the Coast Guard’s confirmation of the strange aircraft sightings contrasts with how the U.S. Navy responded to a similar situation off the coast of Southern California, where reports of drones swarming Navy ships were met with little public response. However, in New Jersey, the sightings near military sites like Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle are being taken seriously. The Pentagon’s Northern Command (NORTHCOM) is monitoring these reports carefully, but so far, they have found no evidence of foreign involvement.

I asked Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh about Cong Jeff Van Drew’s assertion that the drones over NJ are coming from an Iranian mothership that he says left Tehran a month ago and that the drones are being launched from this mothership off the East Coast of the U.S.… https://t.co/3EG7WXJEJf
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) December 11, 2024
What makes the situation even stranger is that drone sightings have not been limited to military installations. Local authorities are also investigating reports of drones flying over critical infrastructure, such as reservoirs and electrical lines. As these sightings spread, the New Jersey government is taking action. Governor Phil Murphy called the situation “deadly serious” and noted that drone sightings have become a frequent occurrence in the state, with people spotting them almost every night.
The FBI has become involved in the investigation, but they have been tight-lipped about the details. One of the key issues is that many of the sightings have been difficult to confirm, with some being misidentified as drones when they were actually other objects, like commercial aircraft. This confusion has added to the growing hysteria, and social media has only fueled the panic, with many users sharing images and videos of what they believe are drones.
Actual Jersey Shore:
— Matt Laslo (@MattLaslo) December 10, 2024
A Commanding Officer in New Jersey Coast Guard told Rep. Chris Smith his 47-foot ship “was followed by between 12 and 30 of these drones as they went through the water — followed, right behind them,” Smith told FBI, DOJ & CBP officials today. https://t.co/gnQRacslgc pic.twitter.com/avbizOtblL
The U.S. government’s response has been mixed. While officials have ruled out the possibility of a foreign attack, the growing number of drone sightings over sensitive sites like military bases and power stations has raised concerns about national security. Even though there is no clear link between drone activity and any specific group or country, the FBI has warned that this could be a significant threat.
In the midst of all this, there have been some intriguing developments. Recently, a Chinese national was arrested for flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, a critical military site. This incident raises the question of whether these drone sightings are connected to foreign espionage or something more serious. The FBI has not yet made any conclusions, but the situation is still under investigation.
As authorities continue to investigate the mystery of the drones, one thing is clear: there is a growing sense of unease about what is happening in the skies above the United States. While there may not be an Iranian mothership, the unexplained drone activity is making people nervous, and officials are taking the situation very seriously. What will they uncover next? Only time will tell.