The US military intercepted Mexican cartel drones that breached US airspace, a Trump administration official said on Wednesday, explaining why the government made the rare decision to temporarily restrict flights over El Paso.
The official told Business Insider that “Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace,” adding that the Pentagon “took action to disable the drones.”
The Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon “have determined there is no threat to commercial travel,” the official added.
It’s unclear how the US military disabled the cartel drones — whether they were shot down or jammed with electronic warfare technology — or if they were carrying any drugs. The Pentagon declined to provide additional information about the incident.
A social media account for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, which advises Pentagon leadership on cutting-edge technology, published a photo showing what appears to be a laser destroying a small drone with the caption “defend the homeland,” suggesting that directed energy may have been involved in the El Paso incident.
Fort Bliss, a major US Army installation in El Paso, could not immediately be reached for comment on the incident.
Cartels in Latin America have a history of using drones for drug-related operations, including for smuggling.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a social media post that the FAA and Pentagon “acted swiftly” to address what he described as a “cartel drone incursion.”
The FAA earlier issued a surprise notice shutting down the airspace above El Paso, a major city in west Texas on the US-Mexico border, and halting all flights up to 18,000 feet for 10 days due to “special security reasons.” The restricted area covered a 10-mile radius.
The restrictions went into effect from 11:30 p.m. MT on Tuesday and were scheduled to last until the same time on February 20. The FAA warned that the US “may use deadly force” if an aircraft became “an imminent security threat.” It did not offer more details about the situation.
Rep. Veronica Escobar, whose congressional district includes El Paso, called the FAA’s decision “unprecedented.”
However, the FAA said shortly before 7 a.m. MT on Wednesday that the temporary airspace closure over El Paso had been lifted, adding that “all flights will resume as normal.” The agency did not share additional details about the bizarre, hourslong incident, which appeared to catch local lawmakers by surprise.
In recent years, access to drones has become easier for both state and non-state actors, prompting Western militaries to explore low-cost methods to counter them, including both kinetic and electronic technologies.
These concerns are top of mind among Western countries following a string of drone incursions across Europe near the end of 2025, during which Russian drones violated the airspace of multiple NATO states and unidentified drones were spotted above critical infrastructure — including airports — in other allied countries.
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