MEXICO CITY (dpa-AFX) - The US military has downed three Mexican drug cartel drones earlier this week in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley near the Mexico border using a laser.
During the operation, which spanned the late-night hours of Tuesday and Wednesday, Joint Task Force - Southern Border personnel used the Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser system to shoot down three drones, as they posed a physical threat to U.S. military personnel and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents.
'Cartel networks are increasingly employing unmanned aircraft systems to facilitate illicit human-smuggling and actively spy on our personnel and law enforcement partners,' said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commander of JTF-SB.
He appreciated the support of the Mexican Army in working together to combat this threat to the border region.
Nearly 8,000 U.S. troops are currently deployed under JTF-SB across difficult terrain spanning 1,954 miles. Since assuming the mission in March 2025, JTF-SB forces have reinforced hundreds of miles of the southern border with wire obstacles; conducted tens of thousands of detection and monitoring patrols, including in partnership with the Mexican military; executed thousands of observation flights; and cleared vegetation in remote areas. These operations have enhanced CBP's situational awareness, accelerated response times, and bolstered overall efforts to disrupt cartel-led illegal activity at the southern border, U.S. Northern Command said in a press release.
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