The US military has disclosed for the first time how frequently it uses counter-drone technology at the southern border, revealing it downed roughly 100 suspected cartel drones in August alone. A senior War Department official told Fox News that Task Force–Southern Border carried out the operations using specialised equipment, including laser systems, integrated by other military units, as part of a broader push to combat drone incursions linked to cartel activity.

Each takedown was reportedly planned in close coordination with Mexican military and border authorities to avoid interference or unintended clashes between forces on either side of the border. Officials said the effort combines multiple technologies with trained personnel rather than relying on a single system, and forms part of the Trump administration's wider use of military force against cartels across the Western Hemisphere, including lethal strikes on alleged drug traffickers. Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said the defensive measures aim to protect personnel and border security operations, while administration officials claimed the strategy has produced a sharp reduction in cartel-related casualties.