Unidentified drones sighted over a key US Army base housing top American officials have heightened security fears amid rising Middle East tensions, a report said.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that several unidentified drones flew over Fort McNair in Washington DC on one night in the past 10 days.
The base, located near Capitol Hill and the White House, serves as home to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, with no usual safety buffer zones around it.
A senior US administration official disclosed that the military has stepped up monitoring of potential threats due to increased alert levels across the United States.
This prompted a White House meeting to review the matter and explore moving the two officials, though neither has relocated.
The US State Department ordered all diplomatic posts worldwide to carry out urgent security checks on Tuesday, warning of possible spillover from the ongoing Middle East crisis.
Several military bases at home faced lockdowns, including Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, both raised to Force Protection Condition Charlie – a level indicating likely attack risks.
At MacDill, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters went into lockdown twice this week: first over a suspicious package that shut the visitors centre on Monday, and again on Wednesday under a shelter-in-place order after another security event.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell refused to discuss the drones, saying: “The department cannot comment on the secretary’s movements for security reasons, and reporting on such movements is grossly irresponsible.” An Air Force spokesperson noted that base commanders adjust security based on local threat reports to safeguard personnel and operations.
Army officials at Fort McNair confirmed awareness of the drone reports and ongoing probes, stressing safety as their top concern, with no credible threat identified so far. Security experts warn such drones could enable surveillance or attacks near sensitive sites.
Ravenewsonline reports that these events reflect growing global security worries as conflicts abroad strain US defences at home.
