Pentagon Disabled Cartel Drones Near El Paso, Triggering Sudden FAA Airspace Shutdown

A Sudden Shutdown With a Shoot-Down Warning

The Federal Aviation Administration abruptly grounded all flights into and out of El Paso International Airport late on the night of February 10, imposing a sweeping 10-nautical-mile airspace restriction that came with a chilling caveat: any aircraft violating the closure would be subject to being shot down. The restriction was initially set to remain in force for 10 full days, but in a dramatic reversal, the FAA lifted the order less than 10 hours later, leaving travelers, airlines, and aviation experts scrambling for answers.

The closure, which began at approximately 11:30 p.m. Mountain Time, triggered the cancellation of at least 14 flights and threw the travel plans of thousands of passengers into chaos. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy later confirmed the action was tied to Mexican cartel drones that had breached United States airspace near the border, according to reporting by CNBC and US News.

Competing Narratives Emerge

While the Trump administration pointed squarely at cartel drone incursions as the reason for the closure, multiple sources painted a considerably more complicated picture. According to CNN, the real trigger may have been the Pentagon's plans to deploy a high-energy laser system designed for counter-drone operations near El Paso — a test that raised immediate safety concerns for civilian air traffic.

FAA and Department of Defense officials had reportedly been scheduled to meet on February 20 to coordinate and review the potential impacts of the laser system on commercial aviation in the area. However, the Defense Department sought to activate the system ahead of that meeting, reportedly prompting the FAA to impose the temporary flight restriction as a precautionary measure until proper coordination could occur.

The White House maintained that the unprecedented shutdown was solely a response to cartel drone activity, a claim that contradicted at least one industry source who told reporters the closure stemmed from an impasse between the FAA and the Department of Defense over military drone operations near the airport.

A Seven-Hour Crisis

The speed with which the restrictions were lifted only deepened the mystery. By roughly 7:00 a.m. on February 11, the FAA announced the airspace was clear and commercial operations could resume. Officials from both the FAA and the Defense Department stated they had determined there was no longer a threat to commercial aviation.

According to reporting by the Texas Tribune, drone activity along the U.S.-Mexico border has been an escalating concern for federal agencies. Mexican cartels have increasingly deployed unmanned aerial systems for surveillance, smuggling, and intimidation operations near border communities. The El Paso region, as one of the busiest corridors along the southern border, has been a particular hotspot.

The incident also underscored the tension between expanding military counter-drone capabilities and maintaining the safety of civilian airspace. CBS News reported that the closure followed a broader dispute over drone-related tests, with one source noting that military personnel had previously shot down what turned out to be a party balloon in the area — an episode that highlighted the difficulties of distinguishing genuine threats from benign objects in congested airspace.

Questions About Transparency and Preparedness

Aviation industry observers expressed alarm at both the abruptness of the closure and the opacity of the government's explanations. The FAA's initial notice offered no public rationale, citing only "special security reasons" for the unprecedented shutdown of a major international airport.

El Paso Matters reported that the closure affected not just the airport itself but airspace extending into southern New Mexico, disrupting military and civilian operations across a wide geographic area. The 10-day duration initially announced would have represented one of the longest peacetime airspace closures over a major U.S. city in modern history.

The episode raises pressing questions about how federal agencies will manage the growing intersection of military counter-drone operations and commercial aviation, particularly along the southern border where cartel drone activity shows no signs of abating. As drone technology becomes cheaper and more accessible, incidents like the El Paso shutdown may become more frequent — demanding clearer protocols, better interagency coordination, and far greater transparency with the traveling public.