Security Alert: Multiple Mystery Drones Detected Over US Army Base Housing Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth Amid Iran War

New Delhi: In a fresh security scare amid the escalating middle east war,  the US officials on Wednesday detected unidentified drones above an army base in ​Washington where Secretary of State Marco ‌Rubio and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth live, the Washington Post reported, citing three people ​briefed on the situation.

Investigative sources stated that the origin of the drones is yet to be identified, according to the report. 

The drones over Fort McNair also prompted the ​officials to weigh relocating Rubio and Hegseth, however, the secretaries have not moved, the report ​added, citing a senior administration official.

According to an official, the detection of multiple drones over Fort Lesley J. McNair on a single night within the last ten days triggered an immediate spike in security protocols and a high-level White House meeting to coordinate a response. 

The ​report further stated that the U.S. military was monitoring potential threats ‌more ⁠closely because of the heightened alert level over the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.

The Pentagon ​and the ⁠U.S. State Department further did not respond to requests for comment. 

On being questioned, Chief Pentagon ​spokesperson Sean Parnell declined to ​discuss ⁠the drones with the Washington Post. 

"The department cannot comment on the secretary’s (Hegseth's) movements for security ⁠reasons, ​and reporting on such ​movements is grossly irresponsible," he told.

'High Alert'

In a week of unprecedented domestic security breaches, the US military has placed key installations on high alert as the Middle East conflict reaches American soil. 

MacDill Air Force Base, the nerve center for U.S. Central Command, was locked down twice this week following a suspicious package investigation and a separate "unspecified security incident" that forced a multi-hour shelter-in-place order.

“To ensure the safety and security of our people and the mission, commanders adjust their installation’s security posture in accordance with local threat assessments," an Air Force spokesperson said in a statement.

The crisis has prompted the State Department to issue a global directive for all US diplomatic posts to "immediately" overhaul their security posture.

Notably, Fort McNair, a base traditionally reserved for senior military brass now houses several of President Trump’s top political officials, including Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, and outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who have relocated to military grounds due to escalating threats against their safety.