U.S. authorities in Washington, D.C., remain on high alert after a new report indicated that unidentified drones were detected flying above the Army base where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reside.
Citing to three people briefed, The Washington Post detailed that the U.S. military is now monitoring potential threats more closely amid heightened alert levels following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Multiple unmanned aircraft were spotted flying over Fort Lesley J. McNair on a single night within the past 10 days, prompting increased security measures and a White House meeting to discuss a response.
As a precaution, officials considered relocating Rubio and Hegseth, although sources told the outlet they have not been moved.
When asked about the sightings, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined to comment.
"The department cannot comment on the secretary's movements for security reasons, and reporting on such movements is grossly irresponsible," he said.
There have been several unusual incidents at the base in recent days. On March 16, a suspicious package prompted the closure of the base's visitor center for hours, and two days later an unspecified security incident led to a shelter-in-place order that lasted several hours.
As noted by the outlet, Fort McNair does not traditionally house political leaders, but a growing number of Trump administration officials, including outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, have moved onto the base citing security concerns.
As global tensions continue to rise due to ongoing military conflicts, the United States has issued a global security alert for overseas diplomatic posts and locked down several domestic bases out of concern over potential retaliation.
This week alone, officials locked down facilities at MacDill Air Force Base, home to U.S. Central Command and a hub for military operations related to Iran.
As a precaution, the State Department on March 17 ordered all U.S. diplomatic posts worldwide to "immediately" conduct security reviews, citing "the ongoing and developing situation in the Middle East and the potential for spillover effects," according to a cable reviewed by The Washington Post.
After the United States and Israel launched attacks Feb. 28, Iran retaliated with an ongoing barrage of drone and missile strikes targeting U.S. allies across the region and the American military bases they host.
As of earlier this week, the number of American troops killed in the conflict reached 13 after a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq on March 12, killing its six occupants. An additional 200 U.S. troops have been wounded since the start of the war.
In total, approximately 2,000 people have been killed across the Middle East since the conflict began, including at least 1,330 Iranians, as reported by USA Today.
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