US Army hunting masked thieves who stole drones from base amid fears of Iran retaliation attack

A manhunt has been launched for two masked thieves who stole drones from a US base amid fears of an Iranian retaliation strike on American soil.

The US Army's Criminal Investigation Division has put up a $5,000 (£3,741) reward for information that leads to the arrest of the duo who stole surveillance drones from Fort Campbell in Kentucky.

The theft occurred between November 21 and 24 - though authorities have not disclosed when the missing equipment was first noticed.

Now, the Army has identified its suspects.

The stolen items were Skydio X10D systems, which are lightweight quadcopters designed for aerial surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

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These drones are equipped with AI technology that enables them to navigate around obstacles automatically.

According to the Skydio website, the aircraft can link to 5G mobile networks, providing them with virtually limitless signal range.

Each drone carries a price tag of around $30,000 (£22,452), according to the ABJ Drone Academy.

Investigators have circulated photographs showing two suspects dressed in gloves, lightweight jackets and winter headwear.

One of the individuals pictured was also wearing a face covering.

Military officials are urging anyone with relevant information about the suspects or the whereabouts of the stolen equipment to come forward.

The renewed manhunt comes as concerns mount over potential Iranian drone attacks on American territory - though the stolen drones are not thought to pose an immediate risk.

On Wednesday, an FBI report is alleged to have warned that Tehran was "aspiring to conduct a surprise attack on California".

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According to the report, the Islamic Republic allegedly wanted to unleash unmanned aerial vehicles from a ship near the American mainland if the US launched strikes on the regime.

Officials have not revealed which sites could have been targeted or how a drone-carrying vessel might approach the US shoreline.

"We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack", reports ABC News.

But the White House then scolded ABC for publishing the report.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the story "should be immediately retracted by ABC News for providing false information to intentionally alarm the American people".

She added: "They wrote this based on one email that was sent to local law enforcement in California about a single, unverified tip. The email even states the tip was based on unverified intelligence. Yet ABC News left out this critical fact in their story! WHY?"

Donald Trump has said he was "not worried" about any potential Iranian attack on US soil.

The warning comes amid the President hinting at a takeover of the Strait of Hormuz in a bid to ease skyrocketing global oil prices.

He told reporters on Wednesday: "We're just riding free range over that country, and now we're going to look very strongly at the straits."

Mr Trump said the US was in "very good shape" in its war in Iran as the conflict rages on into its 13th day.

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