12 March,2026 01:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Oscars 2026
We're just three days away from the Oscars 2026, and an update from Los Angeles is raising security concerns. The 98th Academy Awards will be honouring the best films from last year as the industry gathers at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The red carpet has already been rolled out, and host Conan O'Brien is preparing for the ceremony. The FBI has now warned California authorities about a possible retaliatory drone attack by Iran targeting the US West Coast. As a result, security has been heightened at the venue.
According to a report by ABC News, the FBI alerted law enforcement across California in recent days that Iran could potentially retaliate to the American military actions by launching drones toward the West Coast.
In a statement to the LA Times, the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department officials noted the department was continuing to operate at an "elevated level of readiness and is maintaining increased vigilance." However, they refused to comment on the memo.
On Wednesday, during a press conference, Oscars executive producer Raj Kapoor addressed a question about safety, saying, "I feel like on this show, we have one of the best teams in the business in all aspects, and that comes down to our security team. So, of course, every year we monitor what's going on in the world. We have the support of the FBI and the LAPD, and it's a close collaboration," Kapoor said
He further added, "This show has to run like clockwork. But we want everybody who is coming to this show, who is witnessing the show, who is even a fan of the show, when they're standing outside the barricades. We want everybody to feel safe, protected, and welcome. It's our job as a producing team to make sure that that translates, and that really comes down to us with this very tight relationship, and we have a whole other team of support. It's something that we don't take lightly, and we take a lot of responsibility for."
According to Variety at the red carpet rollout, security has been increased but is not overtly visible. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had no comment.
The news comes amid the escalating tensions between Iran, Israel and the US. On February 28, the US and Israel launched a joint missile strike on Iran. This led to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamene'i's killing. In retaliation, Iran targeted American bases across West Asia, and military targets in Israel. This resulted in the closure of airspace across the Gulf and the evacuation of all foreign tourists. The conflict has impacted Gulf countries such as the UAE, Qatar, and Jordan.
