The US military has significantly increased its surveillance of Mexican drug cartels over the past two weeks, with sophisticated spy planes flying at least 18 missions over the southwestern US and in international airspace around the Baja peninsula,

Over the course of 10 days, spy planes flew at least 18 missions over the southwestern U.S. and the international airspace around the Baja peninsula, according to three officials.

Mexican drug cartels are ordering their members to attack US Border Patrol agents with suicide drones and other explosives in a desperate bid to thwart the crackdown at the border, according to an internal memo obtained by The Post.