U.S. Spy Plane Missions Target Mexican Drug Cartels, Stirring Diplomatic Tensions

Heightened surveillance operations near Mexico's border follow President Trump's push to classify cartels as terrorist organizations.

The U.S. military has conducted at least 18 spy plane missions near Mexico's Baja California peninsula and along the U.S.-Mexico border since late January, significantly increasing its aerial surveillance of drug cartels.
President Trump has proposed designating Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, granting the U.S. expanded legal authority to combat them but raising concerns over potential unintended consequences.
Mexican officials initially denied knowledge of the surveillance but later acknowledged two reconnaissance flights, while U.S. sources report many more missions during the same period.
The intensified U.S. operations have strained relations with Mexico, as President Claudia Sheinbaum criticized the proposed terrorist designation and emphasized the importance of respecting Mexican sovereignty.
Despite tensions, Mexico has deployed 10,000 troops to its northern border as part of an agreement with the U.S. to address fentanyl trafficking and illegal migration, temporarily avoiding proposed tariffs on Mexican goods.