US forces shot down 300 drones on the border with Mexico

US forces shot down 300 drones on the border with Mexico

On September 4, the US announced that it has shot down more than 300 drones operated by cartels on the Mexican border since the beginning of 2026.

The US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), which is responsible for the United States and its neighboring countries, linked these drones to drug trafficking, but did not disclose the name of any specific criminal group. The command stated that 100 drones were shot down in August alone. However, it was not specified on which side of the border the devices were shot down.

The US military said these devices were used by transnational criminal organizations. They carried out smuggling operations and monitored law enforcement and military personnel using the drones.

Mexican Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla, meanwhile, claimed that the drones were mainly used by migrant smugglers. According to him, the devices were used to identify areas on the border where there was no surveillance.

At the same time, drones have also been used by cartels to attack rival groups or authorities.

In October 2025, the prosecutor's office in the Mexican city of Tijuana, located on the border with the US, was attacked with a drone carrying explosives. The building was damaged as a result of the attack, but no casualties were reported.

It was reported that on the night of August 26, the US military shot down three drones belonging to Mexican drug cartels using a laser in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The operation utilized a multi-purpose high-energy laser of the United States Army.