President Trump is moving forward with plans to deploy American military forces to Mexico as part of a heightened offensive against drug cartels. Though still in its preliminary phase, the mission could involve ground operations and targeted drone strikes aimed at dismantling drug labs and eliminating cartel leaders, according to four individuals with knowledge of the initiative who spoke to NBC News. Should this proposal receive approval, it would significantly broaden the scope of the administration’s military efforts against drug cartels, which have predominantly targeted operations in Venezuela and Colombia, utilizing drone strikes against suspected cartel watercraft in the Caribbean and Atlantic regions.

Since early September, a series of 15 strikes have resulted in 64 fatalities. The most recent attack occurred over the weekend in the Caribbean Sea, targeting an unspecified terrorist group. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed that the operation successfully eliminated three individuals. Historically, U.S. administrations have discreetly positioned military, law enforcement, and intelligence personnel to aid Mexican forces in combating drug cartels. However, the current strategy appears to be more overt, potentially involving direct U.S. action against these groups, possibly even without Mexican consent.

The details regarding the number of troops to be deployed and the timeline for such an operation remain uncertain. According to two current U.S. officials and a former official, an immediate deployment to Mexico is not anticipated. They also suggest that while Trump has not dismissed the idea of conducting operations without Mexican government cooperation, he would prefer to engage collaboratively with Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized at a spring news conference, “We reject any form of intervention or interference. Mexico coordinates and collaborates but does not subordinate itself.”

The Pentagon referred the Daily Mail to the White House when reached about the latest reporting. The White House and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not respond to request for comment. While discussions about the scope of the mission are ongoing, it appears if a deployment were to happen the troops would be coming from Joint Special Operations Command and would operate under the Title 50 status authority of the US intelligence community. Officers from the CIA would also participate in operations, the sources detailed.

The two current and former officials told NBC that the administration would want to maintain secrecy around its operations and not publicize every action association with the deployment like it has done with drone strikes against drug smuggling boats. The State Department in February designated six Mexican drug cartels, the Salvadoran gang MS-13 and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) as foreign terrorist organizations.

The action gave authority to US intelligence agencies and military units to conduct covert operations against these criminal organizations. The new mission would mostly focus on the use of drone strikes to wipe out drug labs and take out cartel and gang leaders and members, the sources claim. But some of the drones required for such bombings require operators to be on the ground.

Operations against Venezuela are in direct opposition to the Maduro government ruling the country. But the plans for Mexico would not be aimed at undermining their government, according to the officials. President Sheinbaum already allowed the CIA to expand surveillance flights in Mexico. Also under her leadership, Mexico deployed 10,000 of its troops to the border to thwart illegal crossings into the US, increased its fentanyl seizures and extradited 55 senior cartel figures.