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Mexico and U.S. launch 'Águila Alta' anti-drone operation
Mexico and the United States have launched 'Águila Alta', a binational anti-drone operation along the Tijuana-San Diego border. The initiative, coordinated through the Mexico-United States Bilateral Implementation Group, aims to detect and disable commercial drones used by organized crime to monitor authorities during drug and human trafficking.
The operation is conducted via 'mirror' operations, where military and law enforcement agencies from both nations act simultaneously but strictly within their own respective territories. The mission is structured in two phases: the first phase, which ran from August 31 to September 2, focused on intelligence coordination and ground reconnaissance to define operational areas. The second phase, which began on September 7 and continues until September 21, involves the deployment of security forces equipped with both fixed and mobile anti-drone technology.
This deployment follows a similar operation conducted in March 2026 in the Ciudad Juárez and El Paso region. Mexican defense officials noted that approximately 165 anti-drone systems have been deployed along the northern border to counter the increasing use of unmanned aerial vehicles by criminal cartels.
Entities
Mexico · Mexico-United States Bilateral Implementation Group · San Diego · Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional · Tijuana · United States · United States Armed Forces · Águila Alta
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 17 SOURCES] The operation runs from August 31 to September 21, 2026. estamosaqui.mx · puntonorte.info · cafenegroportal.com · desdepuebla.com · drvnoticias.com · +12 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] The operation is divided into two phases: a coordination and reconnaissance phase, and a deployment phase using fixed and mobile anti-drone equipment. estamosaqui.mx · puntonorte.info · cafenegroportal.com · desdepuebla.com · drvnoticias.com · +12 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] Mexico and the United States are conducting the binational anti-drone operation 'Águila Alta' along the Tijuana-San Diego border. estamosaqui.mx · puntonorte.info · cafenegroportal.com · desdepuebla.com · drvnoticias.com · +12 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] The operation aims to detect and disable commercial drones used by criminals to monitor authorities during human and drug trafficking. estamosaqui.mx · puntonorte.info · cafenegroportal.com · desdepuebla.com · drvnoticias.com · +12 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] The operation is conducted within the framework of the Mexico-United States Bilateral Implementation Group. estamosaqui.mx · puntonorte.info · cafenegroportal.com · desdepuebla.com · drvnoticias.com · +12 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] Forces operate under 'mirror' operations, where each country's military and law enforcement act strictly within their own territory. estamosaqui.mx · puntonorte.info · cafenegroportal.com · desdepuebla.com · drvnoticias.com · +12 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] A similar operation was conducted between March 17 and March 31, 2026, in the Ciudad Juárez and El Paso region. estamosaqui.mx · puntonorte.info · cafenegroportal.com · drvnoticias.com · eltiempomx.com · +12 more