By Jorge Casuso

March 4, 2026 -- The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) is "conducting additional patrols" in select locations as the war in Iran escalates, officials announced Monday.

The patrols will take place "near places of worship, cultural institutions, and other community gathering areas," police announced in a message posted on social media "regarding unrest in the Middle East."

The increased patrols -- which the Department is deploying "out of an abundance of caution" -- "are intended to provide visibility and reassurance while we continue to monitor information as it becomes available."

"At this time, there are no known credible threats to Santa Monica," police officials said.

SMPD is among an increasing number of police departments nationwide, including those in major cities, that have announced stepped up security measures after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran Friday.

According to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by ABC News, the Department of Homeland Security "has warned of potential lone-wolf and cyberattacks amid the ongoing strikes in Iran," the station reported Monday.

"Although a large-scale physical attack is unlikely, Iran and its proxies probably pose a persistent threat of targeted attacks in the Homeland," the bulletin said.

The Department noted that "retaliatory actions, or calls to action," would escalate "if reports of the Ayatollah’s death are confirmed," which was the case shortly after the bulletin was issued Saturday.

On Sunday, a gunman opened fire outside a crowded bar in Austin, Texas, killing three people and wounding more than a dozen others in what the FBI is investigating as a possible terrorist attack.

According to law enforcement sources, the suspect Ndiaga Diagne, 53, was wearing a sweatshirt with the words “Property of Allah” and a shirt underneath with “Iran” and the Iranian flag.

Diagne, who was killed by police, was a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal, according to the Associated Press (AP).

The Homeland Security alert noted that "lone offenders in the Homeland have not historically been motivated by issues related to Iran, the IRGC, or Shia violent extremism."

But the bulletin warned that "the existential threat to the Iranian regime and increased US or Israeli actions could prompt some US-based violent extremists or hate crime perpetrators to attack targets perceived to be Jewish, pro-Israel, or linked to the US government or military."

According to national reporting, the FBI "has also placed its counterterrorism and intelligence personnel on heightened alert, directing Joint Terrorism Task Forces nationwide to coordinate closely with local authorities," Newsweek wrote.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said the State "is closely monitoring the evolving situation in Iran and the surrounding region.

"Our homeland security and emergency management teams are working with federal partners to prepare for any impacts here at home," the governor's office said.

"The State Threat Assessment Center is actively coordinating with local law enforcement partners. There is no specific or credible threat to California at this time, and we remain fully prepared and vigilant."

SMPD is encouraging "the community to remain aware of their surroundings and report suspicious activity" by calling 9-1-1 for an emergency and 310-458-8491 for a non-emergency.