The US military mistakenly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone near the Mexican border using a laser-based anti-drone system. The incident occurred in an area frequently targeted by Mexican cartel drones, according to congressional aides who spoke with Reuters.

Conflicting reports emerged about when the strike happened, with The New York Times saying Thursday and Bloomberg reporting Wednesday. The Pentagon apparently didn't realize the drone belonged to CBP when it fired the laser, and had not coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration beforehand. CBP drone operators also failed to notify the military's laser unit about their launch.

The incident follows another laser mishap in early February when CBP accidentally targeted a party balloon while testing the same technology on loan from the military. Both cases involved using lasers without FAA approval, which aviation safety experts say violates federal law.