US officials detected unidentified drones flying over a Washington army base where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth reside, according to The Washington Post.
The sightings have reportedly led to discussions about potentially relocating both Rubio and Hegseth.
The report said the military is stepping up surveillance of potential threats amid heightened alert levels, as the United States and Israel continue strikes on Iran. A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed the development.
Officials have not yet determined the origin of the drones, two of the three people briefed on the situation reportedly said.
Several drones were spotted over Fort McNair on a single night within the past 10 days, prompting tighter security measures and a White House meeting to assess the response, the official added.
The sightings in Washington come amid escalating tensions, following the missile and drone exchanges triggered by the February 28 US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s vow to retaliate for the killing of its top officials.
Protection level raised to ‘Charlie’
The administration led by Donald Trump has recently issued a global security alert for overseas diplomatic missions and tightened security at several domestic bases in response to emerging threats, according to The Washington Post.
This week, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida raised their force protection level to “Charlie,” indicating that commanders have intelligence suggesting a possible threat or attack. The only higher level, “Delta,” is reserved for situations where an attack has already occurred or is considered imminent.
According to the report, the drone sightings over Fort McNair led officials to consider relocating Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, citing two individuals briefed on the matter. However, a senior administration official clarified that the two have not been moved. Their residences on the base had already been publicly disclosed by multiple outlets in October.