US military uses laser to shoot down 3 Mexican cartel drones near border, officials say
The military said the drones posed "a physical threat" to US military and US Customs and Border Protection personnel.
The US military deployed a laser system near the US-Mexico border in southern Texas to neutralize three drones belonging to Mexican drug cartels, officials announced on Thursday. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and US Northern Command confirmed the operation occurred late Tuesday and early Wednesday, employing the Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser.
The precise location of the strikes and whether it took place over US or Mexican territory remained undisclosed. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized that any unilateral US action on Mexican soil would constitute a severe violation of her nation's sovereignty. The military stated that the drones posed a physical threat to US military personnel and those of US Customs and Border Protection.
Major General Curtis Taylor, commander of Joint Task Force–Southern Border, explained that cartel networks are increasingly utilizing unmanned aircraft systems for illicit human smuggling and to surveil US personnel and law enforcement partners. The deployment of laser systems to counter this threat coincides with the US administration's efforts to tighten immigration policies and combat cartels, as promised during Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
Since its inception in 2025, the border task force has carried out thousands of detection and monitoring patrols, along with numerous observation flights. The military did not disclose the manufacturer of the laser system, though AeroVironment Inc recently delivered its first two multi-purpose high-energy lasers to the US Army. The deployment of such a system resulted in a seven-hour airspace shutdown near El Paso International Airport earlier this year.
In February, a US government drone was mistakenly destroyed by a laser-based anti-drone system, according to congressional aides. US security officials have voiced concerns about the use of drones by Mexican cartels, which predominantly utilize modified off-the-shelf drones to transport drugs or monitor trafficking routes. In regions of Mexico away from the border, cartels have employed drones for explosive drops in deadly attacks.
US and Mexican authorities have been collaborating to address the growing presence of drones along the border.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
