Overview
- Late Tuesday the FAA issued a rare 10‑day temporary flight restriction over El Paso, classifying the area as national defense airspace with a deadly‑force warning, then rescinded it hours later saying there was no threat to commercial aviation.
- Trump administration officials said cartel drones breached U.S. airspace and were neutralized, while multiple outlets citing briefed sources reported that the operation targeted objects later identified as party balloons.
- Officials briefed on the incident say Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved CBP’s use of a high‑energy laser near Fort Bliss without notifying the FAA, which had not finished a safety assessment and had warned it could close nearby airspace.
- The abrupt shutdown halted all aviation operations, diverted medical evacuation flights to Las Cruces, and led to cancellations and delays at El Paso International Airport, according to local officials.
- Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government has no information indicating drone activity at the border, and members of Congress including Sen. Ted Cruz requested briefings as an interagency safety meeting on counter‑drone technology remains set for Feb. 20.