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Iran's drones could attack US commercial planes? Ex-TOPGUN pilot warns of threat
Iran's drones could ‘attack’ US commercial flights? Ex-TOPGUN pilot warns of threat amid ongoing war; ‘could get ugly’
Iran's drones could ‘attack’ US commercial flights? Ex-TOPGUN pilot warns of threat amid ongoing war; ‘could get ugly’
A former Navy pilot warns of potential sleeper cells and drone threats to US commercial planes and from Iran, urging vigilance as geopolitical tensions rise.
Published on: Mar 13, 2026 9:55 AM IST By Shirin Gupta Share via Copy link Concerns about a potential retaliation against the United States have resurfaced after a former US Navy fighter pilot, Matthew “Whiz” Buckley, warned that Iranian drones could potentially target American soil, including commercial flights. A former Navy pilot warned that Iranian drones might target US commercial flights amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran. Image for representational purposes. (Unsplash) Buckley, who previously served as a TOPGUN-trained pilot, told the New York Post that Americans should remain vigilant as geopolitical tensions between Washington and Tehran persist. He suggested that threats could range from lone-wolf attacks to the use of drones against civilian infrastructure, including passenger aircraft. Buckley cautioned that “things could get ugly” if sleeper agents or individuals sympathetic to Iran were activated during a period of heightened tensions. Read more: Gracie Mansion protests: 2 in custody after ‘ignited devices’ thrown into crowd“There are probably thousands of sleeper cells and Iranian agents in this country”
Buckley draws on the recent alleged terrorist attacks that occurred in the US, like the recent ISIS-related attack, where two teens threw IEDs outside the Gracie Mansion in Manhattan. He further detailed that the country is “full of soft targets" like a mall, school or church for someone who is “radically supporting this Islamic regime” who could cause damage. He further talked about the threat being not just from a potential “lone wolf.” He said. “There are probably thousands of sleeper cells and Iranian agents in this country.” He further talked about these attacks that may take place in the and said, “It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.” Buckley urged Americans to be on high alert. He said, “If you see something, say something. We could have an attack anywhere.” He further added, “They [Iranian agents or sleeper cells] can strap an IED onto their body and walk into a church, or God forbid, a school.” Read more: Temple Israel shooting: Michigan authorities suspect ISIS link; ‘mirrors guide’Buckley warns of growing drone warfare concerns
Buckley’s remarks were made during a discussion about how drone attacks have risen “exponentially” and could potentially be used in unconventional attacks. In the interview, he warned that relatively inexpensive unmanned aerial systems could pose a risk if used against high-value targets such as airports or commercial aircraft. He said, “Drones are cheap, they are effective, and they are all over the place.” Buckley took a page out of Captain Sully's book to explain the potential threat a drone poses to a flight. “Most of us are surprised seeing a miracle…with Sully. A flock of birds took out both engines on an airline, and he had to land in the Hudson River. Guess what a flock of inexpensive drones can do when you are on a short approach or departure from this country." While Buckley has shared his expert opinion with the New York Post, US government agencies have not issued any public alerts suggesting an imminent drone threat to commercial flights. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shirin Gupta Shirin Gupta is a content producer with the Hindustan Times. She covers everything between politics, entertainment and sports at the US desk. Shirin got interested in political journalism during her time as a web editor at her college newspaper NCC News in Syracuse when she first started seeing the effects of national politics in life of her fellow colleagues. Shirin has worked on a wide range of fast-moving and developing stories locally when she was at NCC editing accessible reports for the audience. Her current role requires her to track real-time updates, verify information and present balanced coverage across diverse beats. Covering US politics from an international newsroom perspective has further deepened her understanding of how domestic decisions can have far-reaching global consequences. With a keen interest in international affairs, Shirin continues to build her expertise in geopolitics, policy shifts, and cross-border developments. She aims to learn and evolve her reporting in matters of geopolitics and international issues. Outside the newsroom Shirin writes about books and music for her personal blog. She is an avid consumer of pop culture and reveres literature.Read More Us News United States Us Iran Conflict Iran News Us Iran War Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026. News / World News / Us News / Iran's Drones Could ‘attack’ US Commercial Flights? Ex-TOPGUN Pilot Warns Of Threat Amid Ongoing War; ‘could Get Ugly’ See LessConcerns about a potential retaliation against the United States have resurfaced after a former US Navy fighter pilot, Matthew “Whiz” Buckley, warned that Iranian drones could potentially target American soil, including commercial flights.
Buckley, who previously served as a TOPGUN-trained pilot, told the New York Post that Americans should remain vigilant as geopolitical tensions between Washington and Tehran persist.
He suggested that threats could range from lone-wolf attacks to the use of drones against civilian infrastructure, including passenger aircraft. Buckley cautioned that “things could get ugly” if sleeper agents or individuals sympathetic to Iran were activated during a period of heightened tensions.
Read more: Gracie Mansion protests: 2 in custody after ‘ignited devices’ thrown into crowd
He further detailed that the country is “full of soft targets" like a mall, school or church for someone who is “radically supporting this Islamic regime” who could cause damage.
He further talked about the threat being not just from a potential “lone wolf.” He said. “There are probably thousands of sleeper cells and Iranian agents in this country.” He further talked about these attacks that may take place in the and said, “It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.”
Buckley urged Americans to be on high alert. He said, “If you see something, say something. We could have an attack anywhere.” He further added, “They [Iranian agents or sleeper cells] can strap an IED onto their body and walk into a church, or God forbid, a school.”
Read more: Temple Israel shooting: Michigan authorities suspect ISIS link; ‘mirrors guide’
He said, “Drones are cheap, they are effective, and they are all over the place.”
Buckley took a page out of Captain Sully's book to explain the potential threat a drone poses to a flight. “Most of us are surprised seeing a miracle…with Sully. A flock of birds took out both engines on an airline, and he had to land in the Hudson River. Guess what a flock of inexpensive drones can do when you are on a short approach or departure from this country."
While Buckley has shared his expert opinion with the New York Post, US government agencies have not issued any public alerts suggesting an imminent drone threat to commercial flights.
Source: HindustanTimes
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