The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily shut down airspace over El Paso International Airport for a planned 10-day period due to a military anti-drone laser test that targeted a party balloon mistaken for a threat. The closure, lasting less than 10 hours, prompted outrage from local officials over poor communication. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed the action to addressing a cartel drone incursion.
On Tuesday night at 11:30 pm local time, the Federal Aviation Administration closed airspace up to 18,000 feet above El Paso International Airport in Texas, announcing restrictions for 10 days within a 10-nautical-mile radius. The agency classified the area as 'national defense airspace' and warned that violators could face deadly force. Less than 10 hours later, on Wednesday morning, the FAA lifted the restrictions, stating on social media, 'The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.'
The closure stemmed from a test of a new high-energy laser weapon conducted by the US military from the nearby Fort Bliss Army base. Officials had believed the target was a drone, but it turned out to be a party balloon. US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy explained the incident, writing on X, 'The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.' The Trump Administration refers to the Department of Defense as the Department of War, or DOW.
Cartel drones pose a genuine threat along the US-Mexico border, where they are used for surveillance to evade Border Patrol and aid smuggling. El Paso, the 22nd most populous US city, lies across the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and its airport serves more than 3 million passengers monthly. However, the FAA had not fully resolved safety concerns about the laser tests prior to the event.
Local and state officials in Texas received no advance notice of the closure, nor did the White House, leading to widespread frustration. El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson addressed the issue in a Wednesday news conference, saying, 'I want to be very, very clear that this should’ve never happened. That failure to communicate is unacceptable.' The abrupt action highlighted coordination challenges between the FAA, military, and other federal entities.