U.S. Military Uses Laser to Down Three Mexican Cartel Drones Near Border
The U.S. military deployed an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones that posed a threat to personnel. The strikes occurred late Tuesday and early Wednesday, though it remains unclear if they took place over U.S. or Mexican territory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would breach sovereignty. The operation is part of the Trump administration's border security and anti-cartel crackdown.
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US military uses laser to down 3 Mexican cartel drones near border
The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones late Tuesday and early Wednesday, according to U.S. officials. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command stated the drones posed a physical threat to U.S. military and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The precise location of the strikes was not disclosed, nor whether they occurred over U.S. or Mexican territory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has warned that any unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would be a grave breach of sovereignty. Major General Curtis Taylor, commander of Joint Task Force–Southern Border, noted cartel networks increasingly use drones for human smuggling and surveillance. The operation is part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on immigration and cartels. The laser system's manufacturer was not specified, but AeroVironment Inc delivered its first two such systems to the Army last summer.
US military uses laser to down three Mexican cartel drones near border
The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones late Tuesday and early Wednesday, according to U.S. officials. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command stated the drones posed a physical threat to U.S. military and Customs and Border Protection personnel. Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor of Joint Task Force–Southern Border noted cartels increasingly use drones for human-smuggling and surveillance. The precise location of the strikes was not disclosed, and it remains unclear if they occurred over U.S. or Mexican territory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has warned that unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would breach sovereignty. The incident occurs amid the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration and cartels. The military did not specify the laser manufacturer, though AeroVironment Inc delivered similar systems to the Army last summer.
US Military Uses Laser to Down Three Mexican Cartel Drones Near Border
The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones late Tuesday and early Wednesday, according to U.S. officials. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command stated the drones posed a physical threat to U.S. military and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The precise location of the strikes was not disclosed, nor whether they occurred over U.S. or Mexican territory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has previously stated that any unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would be a grave breach of sovereignty. The operation is part of the Trump administration's efforts to clamp down on immigration and cartels, fulfilling 2024 campaign promises. The border task force, established in 2025, has conducted tens of thousands of patrols. The military did not specify the laser manufacturer, but AeroVironment Inc delivered its first two multi-purpose high-energy lasers to the Army last summer. This incident follows a February friendly-fire incident where the military accidentally shot down a U.S. government drone with a laser-based system.
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US military uses laser to down three Mexican cartel drones near border
The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones late Tuesday and early Wednesday, according to U.S. officials. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command stated the drones posed a physical threat to U.S. military and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The precise location of the strikes was not disclosed, nor whether they occurred over U.S. or Mexican territory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has warned that any unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would be a grave breach of sovereignty. The operation is part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on immigration and cartels, fulfilling 2024 campaign promises. The border task force, established in 2025, has conducted tens of thousands of patrols. The military did not specify the laser's manufacturer, though AeroVironment Inc delivered its first two such systems to the Army last summer. U.S. officials have expressed concern over cartel drone use for smuggling and surveillance.
US military uses laser to down 3 Mexican cartel drones near border
The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones late Tuesday and early Wednesday, according to a statement from NORAD and U.S. Northern Command. The operation, conducted by Joint Task Force–Southern Border, targeted drones that posed a physical threat to U.S. military and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The military did not specify the precise location or whether the strikes occurred over U.S. or Mexican territory, amid Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's warnings against unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil. The announcement aligns with the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration and cartels. The laser system was delivered by AeroVironment Inc. last summer. The task force, established in 2025, has conducted tens of thousands of patrols and observation flights. U.S. and Mexican authorities are cooperating to address the rising use of drones by cartels for smuggling and surveillance.
US military uses laser to down 3 Mexican cartel drones near border
The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones late Tuesday and early Wednesday, according to U.S. officials. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command stated the drones posed a physical threat to U.S. military and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The precise location of the strikes was not disclosed, nor whether they occurred over U.S. or Mexican territory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has warned that any unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would be a grave breach of sovereignty. The operation is part of the Trump administration's efforts to clamp down on immigration and cartels, fulfilling 2024 campaign promises. Since its establishment in 2025, the Joint Task Force–Southern Border has conducted tens of thousands of patrols and observation flights. The military did not specify the laser's manufacturer, but AeroVironment Inc delivered its first two multi-purpose high-energy lasers to the Army last summer.
US Military Uses Laser to Down Three Mexican Cartel Drones Near Border
The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones late Tuesday and early Wednesday, according to U.S. officials. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command stated the drones posed a physical threat to U.S. military and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The precise location of the strikes was not disclosed, nor whether they occurred over U.S. or Mexican territory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has previously stated that any unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would be a grave breach of sovereignty. The operation is part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on immigration and cartels, fulfilling 2024 campaign promises. The border task force, established in 2025, has conducted tens of thousands of patrols. The laser system was supplied by AeroVironment Inc, which delivered its first two units last summer. This incident follows a February mishap where the military accidentally shot down a U.S. government drone with a similar system.
US Military Uses Laser to Down Three Mexican Cartel Drones Near Border
The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones late Tuesday and early Wednesday, U.S. officials announced on Thursday. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command stated the drones posed a physical threat to U.S. military and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The military did not specify the precise location or whether the strikes occurred over U.S. or Mexican territory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has previously stated that any unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would be a grave breach of sovereignty. The operation is part of the Trump administration's efforts to clamp down on immigration and cartels, fulfilling 2024 campaign promises. The border task force, established in 2025, has conducted tens of thousands of patrols and observation flights. The article also notes a previous incident in February where the military accidentally shot down a U.S. government drone using a laser-based anti-drone system.
US military uses laser to down three Mexican cartel drones near border
The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones late Tuesday and early Wednesday, according to U.S. officials. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command stated the drones posed a physical threat to U.S. military and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The military did not specify the precise location or whether the strikes occurred over U.S. or Mexican territory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has warned that any unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would be a grave breach of sovereignty. The operation is part of the Trump administration's efforts to clamp down on immigration and cartels, fulfilling 2024 campaign promises. The border task force, established in 2025, has conducted tens of thousands of patrols. AeroVironment Inc delivered the first two multi-purpose high-energy lasers to the U.S. Army last summer. The deployment follows a February incident where the military accidentally shot down a U.S. government drone using a similar laser-based system.
US military uses laser to down 3 Mexican cartel drones near border
The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones late Tuesday and early Wednesday, U.S. officials said on Thursday. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command stated the drones posed a physical threat to U.S. military and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The military did not specify the precise location or whether the strikes occurred over U.S. or Mexican territory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has warned that any unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would be a grave sovereignty breach. The operation is part of the Trump administration's efforts to clamp down on immigration and cartels, fulfilling 2024 campaign promises. The border task force, established in 2025, has conducted tens of thousands of patrols. The laser system manufacturer was not specified, but AeroVironment Inc delivered its first two such lasers to the Army last summer. The military accidentally shot down a U.S. government drone with a laser-based system in February.
US military uses laser to down 3 Mexican cartel drones near border
The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones late Tuesday and early Wednesday, according to U.S. officials. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command stated the drones posed a physical threat to U.S. military and Customs and Border Protection personnel. The precise location of the strikes was not disclosed, nor whether they occurred over U.S. or Mexican territory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has previously stated any unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would be a grave sovereignty breach. The operation is part of the Trump administration's efforts to clamp down on immigration and cartels. The border task force, established in 2025, has conducted tens of thousands of patrols. The military did not specify the laser manufacturer, but AeroVironment Inc delivered its first two multi-purpose high-energy lasers to the Army last summer. This follows a February incident where the military accidentally shot down a U.S. government drone with a laser-based system.