# US Defense Chief Vows to Hunt Drug Cartels Like ISIS

The US defense secretary announced that drug cartels will be treated as terrorist targets, similar to the campaign against ISIS. The statement signals a potential escalation of US military involvement in counter-narcotics operations, with major implications for Mexico and border security.

**Importance:** 4/5

## Sources

### World
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/8/13/us-defence-secretary-says-drug-cartels-will-be-targeted-like?traffic_source=rss) — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 07:58:31 +0000