The US military used a laser in southern Texas' Rio Grande Valley to shoot down three Mexican drug cartel drones this week near the US-Mexico border, US officials said on Thursday, reports Reuters.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command and US Northern Command said in a statement that the operation took place late Tuesday and early Wednesday and used the Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser.

The military did not give the precise location of the strikes nor make clear whether it took place over US or Mexican territory.

The military said the drones posed "a physical threat" to US military and US Customs and Border Protection personnel.