ARLINGTON, VA—During a Pentagon press briefing on Monday, March 2, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told reporters that U.S. forces are ready to counter possible Iranian sleeper cell attacks on U.S. soil when asked by a reporter on the topic.
“This is a former regime that seeks to export that ideology, to try and sow terror, we are ready for that,” Secretary of War Hegseth said.
In his December 11, 2025, testimony before the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee’s “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland” hearing, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent shared that his agency has identified approximately 18,000 known and suspected terrorists that the Biden Administration let come into the country who have ties to Jihadist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
As reported by the Lynnwood Times back in December, Director Kent stated that this threat to the homeland stems from lax vetting and border policies for the Biden administration.
ICE has reported arresting 1,416 known or suspected terrorists 2025 as part of its deportation efforts.
Declassified cases, and analytical reports from the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, August 2025, show longstanding Hezbollah networks—Iran’s primary proxy for potential homeland operations. Since the 1980s Hezbollah has focused historically on financial crimes but with surveillance and “sleeper” capabilities for activation in retaliation for U.S. actions against Iran or its Hezbollah leadership.
Historically documented cities/regions for Hezbollah/Iranian networks and potential sleeper cells:
- New York City area: Multiple surveillance operations on landmarks (e.g., UN, Times Square, Empire State, airports, bridges), FBI facilities, and dissidents. Cases include Hezbollah “sleeper agent” Ali Kourani and Alexei Saab; and recent Iranian kidnapping plot against activist Masih Alinejad.
- Detroit / Dearborn, Michigan: Major hub for Hezbollah support networks (financing, smuggling rings); frequent arrests tied to material support and cells.
- Houston, Texas: Hezbollah operative stockpiled explosive precursors (300+ pounds ammonium nitrate); Governor Abbott has publicly warned of Iranian sleeper risks post-strikes, with increased state security.
- Los Angeles / California: Operatives involved in surveillance and support activities.
- Boston: Documented Hezbollah cell presence and networks.
- Other noted sleeper placements: Portland, Oregon, and Louisville, Kentucky—where operatives were deliberately sent to “blend in” and form dormant cells for potential activation (per former FBI Iran-Hezbollah unit head).
Washington state isn’t immune. Saed Ali Mirreh,19, of Kent, Washington, was arrested and charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, in connection to that foiled Halloween terrorism plot in Michigan.
Then on November 26, 2025, an ambush shooting of National Guard in Washington, D.C., was carried out by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who had been living in Bellingham, Washington after resettling under Operation “Allies Welcome.”
Lakanwal drove roughly 2,800 miles from his home in Bellingham to D.C. On the afternoon of November 26, he approached two West Virginia National Guard members, just two blocks from the White House, and opened fire shooting both in the head at close range. He allegedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” during the attack.
Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died the next day from her injuries;, whereas SSG Andrew Wolfe, 24, from West Virgin survived and has been recovering ever since.
Lakanwal still remains in custody and is being charged with First-degree premeditated murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, firearm violations during a crime of violence, and interstate transportation of a stolen firearm. He has pled not guilty.
Since taking office for his second term in January 2025, President Donald Trump has issued several executive orders aimed at bolstering U.S. counterterrorism efforts.
On his first day, he signed Executive Order 14161, “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” This order directed agencies to review risks from countries with weak vetting. It resulted in a June 2025 proclamation that reinstated and expanded travel restrictions on nationals from terrorism-linked countries, including Iran.
In January 2025, Executive Order 14175 designated the Houthis (Ansar Allah) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. A February directive added eight international cartels, including Tren de Aragua and MS-13, to the terrorist list to combat narcoterrorism and speed deportations.
Also in January, Executive Order 14188 expanded measures to combat antisemitism. It included stricter social-media screening for support of terrorist groups during immigration reviews.
In November 2025, Trump signed an executive order requiring the State and Treasury Departments to designate specific Muslim Brotherhood affiliates in Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and elsewhere as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists within 45 days.
On the domestic front, a September 2025 executive order designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. It authorized federal investigations into its networks, funding, and violent activities. Another September order created a national strategy to counter domestic terrorism. It prioritized prosecutions for politically motivated violence, doxing, and rioting, while directing the Attorney General to fund enhanced law enforcement programs.
Author: Mario Lotmore
