Law enforcement agencies around the US are closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East after the US launched airstrikes on Iran on Saturday, tracking intelligence for any potential threats to the homeland.
The Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and other federal, state and local agencies are watching for any response from Iran or others against the US, a federal official familiar with the coordination told CNN.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a social media post Saturday night, “We will work unceasingly to protect the American homeland.”
Police departments in New York City and Washington, DC, said they are sharing intelligence with their federal partners and are increasing or maintaining a heightened level of police resources around religious institutions.
The DC Police Department said in a statement that there is no known threat to the nation’s capital, but it is working to “safeguard residents, businesses, and visitors in the District of Columbia.”
Security postures around several key areas in the US capital, including the White House, Pentagon and Israeli Embassy, have increased since the conflict between Israel and Iran began earlier this month. Officials told CNN those increases are part of a normal security protocol activated when any conflict of this size begins.
The New York City Police Department said in a statement, “Out of an abundance of caution, we’re deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners.”
Before the US launched the attacks, law enforcement officials told CNN that while there was no uptick in the already heightened threat posed against the US by Iran, that story could quickly change.
