INTERNACIONAL
Iran’s ‘basement’ Chinese drone networks spark fears of sleeper cell attacks on US soil
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Iran is building a decentralized drone warfare capability in Tehran’s apartment building basements, powered by inexpensive technology sourced from China, a leading defense expert has warned.
Draganfly’s Cameron Chell also said that this emerging system — centered on first-person-view (FPV) drones — could pose a threat not only across the Middle East but potentially to the U.S. homeland itself.
«The FPVs are Iran’s Hail Mary because they are very hard to defend, are incredibly effective, and can be delivered in a manner without having to have a central command,» Chell told Fox News Digital.
«So whether it’s the Iranian army, whether it’s militia groups or Iranian patriots, they can all create or procure their own FPVs and get offensive,» Chell said.
EX-CIA STATION CHIEF WARNS US TROOP DEPLOYMENT TO KEY IRANIAN ISLAND COULD BE ‘EXTREMELY RISKY’
Smoke rises after an Iranian drone was intercepted over the Bahrain Financial Harbour towers, which houses the Israeli embassy, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Manama, Bahrain, March 6, 2026. Picture taken on a mobile phone. (Stringer/Reuters)
He added that «Iran could be reiterating FPVs and churning out more than 100,000 a month over time.»
«Iran’s got either militias or sleeper cells in the States who can, in my estimation, already build this equipment,» Chell clarified.
Chell’s warning comes as recent incidents in Iraq highlight the growing use of FPVs.
At Baghdad International Airport, Iranian-backed militias operating under the «Iraqi Islamic Resistance» umbrella have launched multiple FPV drone attacks.
Footage released in March 2026 allegedly shows an FPV drone striking a U.S. UH-60M or HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter, while another attack successfully hit a U.S. AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar unit at the same base.
«FPVs are a central core theme, and Iran is building these itself, suspecting they’re pulling parts in from China and getting the parts through some pretty porous borders, so it is very difficult to stop that,» Chell said.
IRAN’S DRONE SWARMS CHALLENGE US AIR DEFENSES AS TROOPS IN MIDDLE EAST FACE RISING THREATS
A drone view of the site of an Iranian missile strike on a residential building, after Iran launched missile barrages following attacks by the U.S. and Israel, in Tel Aviv (REUTERS/Roei Kastro)
He warned that Iran’s strategy mirrors what has already occurred in Ukraine, where decentralized drone manufacturing has flourished.
«There will be, or already is, an underground industry for FPV and drone manufacturing, which will or is swelling up inside Iran, the exact same way that we saw it swell up inside Ukraine,» he explained.
«This is going to be happening in people’s homes in Iran, people’s basements, the basements of apartment blocks, where they can construct makeshift assembly lines.»
«I am confident China and Russia are shipping in parts to help support the development of drone assembly or manufacturing capability – which is a de facto decentralized cottage industry,» he warned.
Concerns extend beyond overseas battlefields as about 1,500 Iranians were intercepted at the U.S. border during the Biden administration.
Officials warn the unknown number who evaded detection raises fears of potential «sleeper cells.»
MORE THAN 90% OF IRANIAN MISSILES INTERCEPTED, BUT A DANGEROUS IMBALANCE IS EMERGING
Iran drone swarms threaten U.S. military assets in Middle East region (Iranian Army/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS)
President Trump acknowledged the issue on March 11, saying, «A lot of people came in through Biden with his stupid open border, but we know where most of them are: We’ve got our eye on all of them, I think.»
«It is the beginning of an asymmetric capability that the Iranians will use against their neighbors and U.S. assets in the region, but also the U.S. homeland,» Chell said.
«We may even want to call it terrorist attacks, using FPV’s against their neighbors and practically anywhere in the world,» he added.
«It’s a matter of when we see FPV attacks, probably swarm, probably sophisticated, on U.S. soil.»
«Within the next eight months, the Iranians are going to have sophisticated drone systems that can defeat some RF/radio frequency jamming. They will start to use tactics like swarming or spoofing,» he warned.
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«It will be very, very difficult for the U.S. to take out these little drone factories in the basements of apartment blocks where civilians help. Cutting supply chains will also be difficult.»
«The primary choke point for the Iranians is to establish supply chains from China to have enough supply to constitute precision mass capability and/or consistent, pervasive asymmetric capability,» Chell said before stating that if this happens, «the war between Iran and the U.S. just gets a lot longer.»
war with iran, iran, wars, military tech, military
INTERNACIONAL
Trump signs executive order overhauling mail-in voting in major election integrity push
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President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive order targeting mail-in voting and voter eligibility, calling the move a major step toward restoring confidence in U.S. elections.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said the order is focused on «voter integrity and Mail-In ballots» and on «stopping the massive cheating that’s gone on.»
«We’re going to be signing an executive order,» Trump said. «It’s, I believe it’s foolproof… I think it’s very obvious what’s said.»
The order directs federal agencies to work with states to compile lists of eligible voters using federal citizenship and identity data, while also instructing the U.S. Postal Service to develop new safeguards for mail-in ballots, including barcode tracking and verification measures.
TRUMP REVEALS TOP ISSUES GOP SHOULD FOCUS ON TO SECURE MIDTERMS VICTORY: ‘I’VE NEVER BEEN MORE CONFIDENT’
President Donald Trump signs an executive order addressing mail-in ballots in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, in Washington, D.C. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Under the order, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) working with the Social Security Administration and other federal databases, will create and share «State Citizenship Lists» with state election officials.
The lists are intended to identify individuals confirmed to be U.S. citizens who will be at least 18 years old by the time of a federal election and who reside in that state.
Those lists are to be updated and transmitted to states ahead of federal elections, according to the order.
The order also directs the attorney general to prioritize investigations and potential prosecutions involving officials or others who issue ballots to individuals not eligible to vote in federal elections, as well as those involved in the «printing, production, shipment, or distribution of ballots» to ineligible voters.
SCOTUS CONSERVATIVES SIGNAL READINESS TO CURB LATE-ARRIVING MAIL BALLOTS
President Donald Trump addresses members of the assembled media after signing an executive order, Tuesday, in the Oval Office. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
On mail ballots, the executive order calls on the postmaster general to initiate a rule-making process within 60 days. Proposed changes include requiring ballots to be clearly marked as official election mail, including a unique Intelligent Mail barcode or similar tracking technology, and undergoing Postal Service design review.
The order also outlines a system under which states would notify USPS if they plan to use mail-in or absentee ballots and provide lists of eligible voters, allowing the Postal Service to maintain participation records tied to ballot distribution.
Trump framed the changes as a direct response to what he described as longstanding vulnerabilities in voting by mail.
NOEM BACKS SAVE AMERICA ACT, SLAMS ‘RADICAL LEFT’ OPPOSITION TO VOTER IDS AND PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, left, looks on as President Donald Trump prepares to sign an executive order addressing mail-in voting. ( Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
«The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary,» he said. «It’s horrible what’s going on.»
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the administration is pushing for a system that ties each ballot to a trackable envelope.
«If you voted by mail, you will have it on the envelope,» Lutnick said. «There’ll be a million envelopes… and you’ll be able to know exactly correctly, that citizens voted.»
Trump said additional election-related measures, including voter ID and proof of citizenship requirements, are also under consideration.
«We’d like to have voter ID, we’d like to have proof of citizenship… we’re working on that,» he said.
He also argued that opposition to such measures is politically motivated.
«The only people that don’t want to do voter ID are people that cheat,» Trump said.
Trump acknowledged the order could face legal challenges but said he believes it will withstand them.
«I don’t know how it can be challenged,» Trump said after signing the order. «You may find a rogue judge… but that’s the only way that could be changed.»
The executive order states that voting in federal elections is reserved «exclusively for citizens of the United States» and argues that additional safeguards are necessary to «maintain public confidence in election outcomes.» It also says that ballot identifiers such as barcodes can help ensure that only eligible voters receive and cast ballots.
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Within minutes of Trump signing the order, top elections officials in Oregon and Arizona pledged to sue, arguing the president was illegally encroaching on states’ authority to run elections, according to The Associated Press.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said the state’s vote-by-mail system, originally designed by Republicans, is now used by about 80% of voters.
Arizona does not need the federal government to determine voter eligibility, and federal data is not always reliable, Fontes said.
Trump cast the issue in much broader terms.
«If you don’t have honest voting,» he said, «you can’t have really a nation.»
voting, donald trump, elections, white house, politics
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More key European allies are restricting U.S. military access as the Trump administration presses ahead with its war against Iran, with both France and Spain moving to block U.S.-linked aircraft from using their airspace or bases.
France has refused overflight for planes carrying U.S. military supplies to Israel, according to President Donald Trump, marking a rare disruption to routine military coordination between Washington and key European allies.
Their refusals carry operational weight because U.S. bases in Europe are «essential» for supporting Middle East operations, acting as critical staging and transit hubs for military aircraft.
MULTIPLE ALLIES DECLINE US CALLS FOR STRAIT OF HORMUZ SUPPORT AMID RISING MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS
The move marks the latest sign of growing friction between the United States and European allies as President Donald Trump ramps up pressure on NATO partners to support operations tied to the war with Iran.
President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands as they pose for a photo. (Suzanne Plunkett/Pool/Reuters)
According to a Tuesday Reuters report, Italy denied permission for U.S. military aircraft to land at the Sigonella Air Base in Sicily before heading to the Middle East, saying Washington had not sought prior authorization from Rome.
An Italian government statement pushed back on reports of a rupture, saying: «With reference to media reports regarding the use of military bases, the government reiterates that Italy acts in full compliance with existing international agreements and with the policy guidelines set out by the government to parliament.»
«Relations with the United States, in particular, are solid and based on full and loyal cooperation,» the statement added.
A senior U.S. official reinforced Italy’s claim, telling Fox News Digital, «This is false. Italy is currently supportive in providing access, basing and overflight for U.S. forces.»
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. (Darko Bandic/The Associated Press )
Spain on Monday said it had closed its airspace to U.S. planes involved in strikes, going further than its earlier refusal to allow the use of jointly operated bases. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been among the most vocal critics of the U.S. and Israeli campaign.
In remarks before parliament Tuesday, Spain’s defense minister said the government had «prohibited the use of the bases of Rota and Morón» and did not grant flight authorizations «to support operations in Iran.»
The minister stressed the decision was limited specifically to operations linked to Iran and did not signal a broader break with NATO or the United States.
John Hemmings, director of the National Security Centre at the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based foreign policy think tank, told Fox News Digital the decision reflects deeper tensions.
«If one looks at Spain’s refusal to allow U.S. overflight over its airspace or U.S. bases,» Hemmings said, «one could argue it’s a U.S.-Spanish issue. The prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, a socialist, has no love lost for the MAGA movement. But Italy’s refusal comes after Poland’s refusal to allow a U.S. Patriot anti-missile battery to be redeployed and looks like the U.S. wheels are wobbling — if not coming off.»
Trump on Tuesday escalated his criticism of allies in a series of posts on Truth Social, singling out France and the United Kingdom, although the United Kingdom has continued to allow U.S. aircraft to operate from its territory, including bomber and refueling missions tied to Middle East operations.
TRUMP RATES MACRON ‘AN 8’ AS FRANCE AND US SPLIT OVER MIDDLE EAST STRATEGY
«France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran,’ who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!,» President Donald Trump wrote on social media. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
«The Country of France wouldn’t let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory,» Trump wrote.
«France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran,’ who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!,» he added.
A source in the French presidency, the Élysée Palace, told Fox News Digital, «We are surprised by this tweet. France has not changed its position since the first day, and we confirm this decision, which is consistent with the French position since the beginning of the conflict.»
The Israeli Ministry of Defense said Tuesday it is moving to reduce defense procurement from France to zero, replacing it with domestic production or purchases from other allied countries. The ministry also said it has suspended plans for further professional engagement with the French military, including canceling meetings with France’s defense leadership.
In another post on Tuesday, Trump criticized the U.K. while urging allies to take action in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route disrupted during the conflict.
«All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you,» Trump wrote.
«Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.»
«You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!»
TRUMP’S IRAN STRATEGY SHOWCASES ‘DOCTRINE OF UNPREDICTABILITY’ AMID STRIKE THREATS AND SUDDEN PAUSE
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and his wife Victoria Starmer at Trump Turnberry golf club on July 28, 2025, in Turnberry, Scotland. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
War Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed that message during a press briefing Tuesday.
«There are countries around the world who ought to be prepared to step up on this critical waterway as well,» he said. «It’s not just the United States Navy. Last time I checked, there was supposed to be a big, bad Royal Navy that could be prepared to do things like that as well.»
NATO acknowledged the growing strain, pointing to remarks by Secretary-General Mark Rutte from a March 26 press conference.
«What I’ve been seeing is some frustration with him (Trump), about the Europeans needing to take time to react to his request, when it comes to this question of making sure that sea lanes are open,» Rutte said.
«There is a reason for that … the U.S. was not able to consult with allies because they wanted to keep the campaign secret,» he said. «But that also had the disadvantage that it takes time for the Europeans to get organized.»
Rutte added that more than 30 countries have since joined discussions on securing maritime routes, «exactly also to the request of President Trump.»
Hemmings warned the fallout could have broader strategic consequences.
«There is something deeper here, though, and that is that there is a growing transatlantic rift between right-leaning populists and left-leaning populists,» he said. «The fact is that the U.S. and many Western European countries are not only split over NATO spending and trade; they are split ideologically.»
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NATO leaders pose in this shot taken in June. (Claudia Greco/Reuters)
«This should worry planners at the Pentagon and at NATO headquarters in Brussels,» he said. «Despite recent changes in U.S. force structure in Europe, changes have been incremental and carefully broadcast. The U.S. and Europe still need each other badly for defense-industrial cooperation, for helping bring Ukraine to victory, and for deterring their mutual adversaries.»
Fox News Digital also reached out to Italy and the Pentagon but did not receive responses in time for publication.
war with iran, nato, europe, italy, spain, donald trump
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