U.S. officials say drones operated by Mexican drug cartels breached American airspace near El Paso, Texas, before being disabled by the U.S. military. The incident triggered a sudden Federal Aviation Administration restriction that briefly halted flights at El Paso International Airport, then was lifted within hours on Wednesday.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the breach and said normal flights could resume. However, officials have not disclosed how many drones were involved or what actions were used to stop them.
What happened over El Paso
Late Tuesday, the FAA issued a notice closing airspace around El Paso International Airport for “special security reasons.” The initial restriction suggested a 10-day shutdown, an extraordinary step for a major U.S. airport.
By Wednesday morning, the FAA lifted the restriction, saying there was no ongoing threat to commercial aviation. Flights began resuming.
Duffy links the disruption to cartel drones
Duffy said the FAA acted alongside the military to respond to what he described as a cartel drone incursion. In a statement posted on X, he said the threat had been “neutralized” and that commercial travel was safe.
Some coverage also noted confusion around terminology in public messaging, with Duffy referring to a “Department of War,” while other reporting described Defense Department involvement. Officials have not provided operational details.
Local leaders demand clearer answers
Rep. Veronica Escobar, whose district includes El Paso, criticized the lack of advance notice to her office, the city, and airport operations. She urged the FAA to lift the restrictions and said information circulating publicly did not align with what her office had learned.
The episode also caused confusion across the region, where El Paso is a key cross-border hub alongside Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
Fake road closure memo adds to the confusion
As the airspace situation unfolded, Texas authorities also warned about a false memo circulating online that claimed major roads in and out of El Paso would close for 10 days. The Texas Department of Public Safety said the memo was fake and that it was not closing highways.
What remains unknown
Authorities have not released a timeline for when the drones entered U.S. airspace, where they originated, or how they were disabled. They also have not said whether any payloads were involved.
For now, the FAA restriction is lifted and flights are resuming. But the abrupt shutdown, the competing explanations, and the lack of detail have raised fresh questions about drone threats along the border and how federal agencies communicate during fast-moving security incidents.