Mexican cartels escalate bomb-laden drone and IED attacks in Zacatecas

September 6, 2026 at 01:28 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Mexican drug cartels are increasingly using car bombs, explosives-laden drones, and improvised explosive devices, with the latest attack Sunday night outside a police station in Ojocaliente, Zacatecas, injuring 11 people and damaging more than 60 homes. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel and Sinaloa Cartel are fighting for control of Zacatecas, where 23 explosive attacks have been recorded this year. The trend could further strain Mexico's relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened military action against the cartels.

Key Facts

The Sunday night explosion in Ojocaliente, Zacatecas, involved 200 kilograms of explosives, injured 11 people, and damaged more than 60 homes.
Zacatecas has recorded 23 attacks involving explosives so far this year, including six involving cars or motorcycles packed with explosives.
In 2023, roadway bombs planted by drug cartels in Jalisco state killed six people and injured another 14.
In 2025, an explosive device in Michoacán killed eight soldiers in one of the deadliest such incidents in Mexico.
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel has been attributed two recent bombings in city centers: one in Michoacán in December that killed five people and Sunday's attack in Zacatecas.

Escalating Explosive Tactics

Mexican cartels began using explosives more extensively about five years ago, dropping them from drones to attack security forces or rival groups and burying explosive devices in the ground to defend or control territory. In 2023, roadway bombs planted by drug cartels in the western Jalisco state killed six people and injured another 14. A month later, the military acknowledged the growing threat and released its first figures, saying it had seized about 2,800 explosive devices nationwide over the previous 4 1/2 years. The following year, authorities deactivated nearly 3,200 explosive devices in Michoacán state alone. In 2025, an explosive device there killed eight soldiers in one of the deadliest such incidents in Mexico.

Cartel Conflict in Zacatecas

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, and the Sinaloa Cartel have fought for years over control of Zacatecas. Authorities have attributed two recent bombings in the centers of small cities to the CJNG: one in Michoacán in December that killed five people and Sunday's attack outside a police station in Zacatecas. The CJNG is among the Mexican criminal organizations designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration. Victor Manuel Sánchez, a University of Coahuila professor who has tracked car bombings in Mexico, said the Jalisco New Generation Cartel has increasingly used explosives as it expands its reach across Mexico.

Historical Context of Car Bombs

Car bombs are rare in Mexico but have been used in the past, including a 1994 attack in Guadalajara by the Tijuana Cartel targeting Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. Zambada was later convicted in the United States. The current wave of explosive violence remains far below the scale seen in countries such as Colombia.