Mexico and US send troops to border in joint ‘mirror operation’ after gunfire episode

Mexico has sent 500 Army and National Guard troops to the U.S. border in the state of Tamaulipas as part of a joint operation with the U.S. military after U.S. officials were fired upon by unknown elements from the Mexican side on Sept. 26.

Media in Mexico, citing the Pentagon, said the U.S. government announced on Saturday that it had ordered 500 soldiers to the Texas-Mexico border in response to the shooting from Tamaulipas, during which U.S. Coast Guard personnel returned fire.

🚨 Refuerzan la seguridad en la frontera de #Tamaulipas.

500 efectivos del Ejército y la Guardia Nacional fueron desplegados con apoyo de dos #helicópteros de la Fuerza Aérea.

El operativo se realizará en cinco municipios fronterizos y deriva de la coordinación entre autoridades militares de #México y #EU.

— Azteca Noticias (@AztecaNoticias) October 5, 2026

Later that day, the Mexican Navy said in a press release that the U.S. troop deployment was “part of the mirror operations between both countries, which demonstrate their commitment to strengthening border security, improving detection capabilities, and safeguarding their respective sovereignty.”

On Sunday, the Foreign Relations and Defense Ministries confirmed the twin troop deployments in a joint communique, describing them as part of “Concurrent Operation,” a mission featuring coordination between Mexican and U.S. military authorities with the objective of helping to prevent drug and human trafficking.

The troops patrolling in five Tamaulipas municipalities along the border include 500 Army and National Guard personnel, supported by two UH-60 helicopters from the Air Force, drones and mobile and semi-fixed anti-drone equipment.

In a late Sunday night social media post, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson referenced Operation Concurrent, saying that the U.S. Embassy “was helping to coordinate with Mexican forces that are being deployed in the border area where shots were fired against elements of the United States Coast Guard.”

Johnson added that Mexican military commanders are communicating directly with the U.S. forces as they jointly patrol their respective sides of the shared border. 

The Navy is also participating via “Operation Saber,” carrying out surveillance and security operations on the northern border with operational deployments of 159 naval personnel, 11 vehicles and two drones via the Naval Sector of Matamoros, Tamaulipas. 

The Navy statement said “any cooperation mechanism or exchange of information is carried out through established institutional channels, with full respect for the sovereignty, powers and jurisdiction of each country.”

With regard to last month’s shootout, the U.S. military publication Stars and Stripes (cited by the newspaper Excelsior) said “no injuries were reported … and no damage to Coast Guard assets or equipment was reported.”

An unidentified U.S. officer told Stars and Stripes that the initial shots “came from the Mexican side and Coast Guard personnel returned fire.” 

With reports from Excelsior, LopezDorigacom, La Jornada and IMER Noticias