Major US cities on high alert after US strikes Iran
Major US cities on high alert after US strikes Iran
- NYPD increases patrols at religious, cultural sites amid threat concerns
- Expert warns Iran capable of cyber attacks on US infrastructure
- Officials fear terrorist cells may already be active in United States
(NewsNation) — Major cities across the United States are on heightened security alert following Saturday night’s air strikes targeting nuclear facilities in Iran, with law enforcement agencies around the country deploying additional forces to protect potential targets from retaliatory attacks.
The New York Police Department, the nation’s largest municipal police force, issued security advisories and increased patrols around religious, cultural and diplomatic sites Saturday night. The department coordinated with federal partners while monitoring for potential threats to the city.
“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. We’ll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC,” the NYPD stated on social media.
Law enforcement officials expressed particular concern about “soft targets” including churches, synagogues and tourist attractions that could be vulnerable to attack. Police departments in smaller cities across the country also increased security measures, citing concerns about potential threats during summer events and parades.
Former FBI agent concerned about potential Iranian cyberattacks
National security experts warned that Iran’s cyber capabilities pose a significant threat to U.S. infrastructure. Former CIA spy and NewsNation’s national security contributor Tracy Walder said Iran has previously launched successful cyber attacks against major American banks, including Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase.
“Iran is pretty cyber capable, to be completely honest,” Walder said. “They have launched denial of service attacks successfully here in the United States.”
She also raised concerns about potential terrorist cells already operating within the United States. Walder pointed to previous prosecutions of individuals connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who were active on U.S. soil.
The Department of Homeland Security pledged to work with local authorities to protect American cities, with officials suggesting federal assistance may be necessary for smaller police departments lacking adequate resources.