Mysterious Drones Are Not Coming From an Iranian Mothership

New Jersey Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R) told Fox News viewers on Wednesday that he has heard from “high sources” that Iran is controlling mysterious drones reported over New Jersey skies, coming from an Iranian “mothership.”

“Iran launched a mothership probably about a month ago that contains these drones. That mothership is off … the East Coast of the United States of America. They’ve launched drones into everything that we can see or hear,” Drew said. “And again, these are from high sources. I don’t say this lightly.”

Drew, who is on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, says the drones should be shot down, whether they are coming from Iran or hobbyists.

Please do not be alarmed.There is in fact NO “Iranian mothership” launching drones at the State of New Jersey.FFS

Jim Stewartson, Antifascist (@jim-stewartson.bsky.social) 2024-12-11T20:52:26.213Z

Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh emphatically denied Drew’s remarks Wednesday.

“There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there’s no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States,” she said.

Dozens of sightings have been reported over New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania since November 18, with 49 reported sightings on Sunday alone, Governor Phil Murphy said Monday. There have been at least 3,000 sightings reported to an FBI tipline.

  • Murphy stressed that the drones don’t appear to pose a public safety concern.
  • One New Jersey police chief described the drones as the size of a car and bigger than the standard drones available for amateur drone flyers. 
  • More than 20 mayors across New Jersey signed a letter on Dec. 9 petitioning for “transparency” about the investigations. Gov. Murphy spoke during a bill signing Monday, saying “it’s really frustrating that we don’t have more answers as to where they’re coming from and why they’re doing what they’re doing.” He added the drones are “sophisticated” and “go dark” after someone sees them, and he urged more federal involvement. 
  • Some of the flights have taken place near Picatinny Arsenal – a sensitive military research facility – as well as near President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in the town of Bedminster.
  • Drones have been “reported above critical infrastructure such as water reservoirs, electric transmission lines, rail stations, police departments and military installations,” and near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
  • Drones have also been spotted flying over four U.S. Air Force bases in the U.K.

The FBI has not explained the sightings so far.

NBC, BBC, Forbes