US military downs over 300 border drones without saying where

The U.S. military says it has brought down more than 300 drones associated with illicit activity along the U.S.-Mexico border since the start of 2026, including more than 100 in August. Officials say transnational criminal organizations use commercial drones for smuggling and to monitor law-enforcement and military personnel, while Mexico’s defense secretary said U.S. commanders had identified migrant-smuggling groups as the main operators scouting for unguarded routes. Since Aug. 24, U.S. forces have used the Army Multipurpose High-Energy Laser system to destroy 11 of the drones, alongside other kinetic and non-kinetic systems. The military has not identified a specific cartel or disclosed whether the strikes occurred on U.S. or Mexican territory, an important distinction given Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s warning that unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would violate Mexico’s sovereignty. More than 8,000 U.S. service members are deployed along the southern border as part of the counter-drone and border-security mission.