HomeTechnologyEl Paso airport closed after military used new anti-drone laser to zap party balloon

El Paso airport closed after military used new anti-drone laser to zap party balloon

TechnologyFebruary 12, 2026
1 min read
El Paso airport closed after military used new anti-drone laser to zap party balloon
"I want to be very, very clear that this should’ve never happened."

On Tuesday night, the Federal Aviation Administration closed airspace up to 18,000 feet above the El Paso International Airport in Texas, saying the restrictions would be in place for 10 days. Then, less than 10 hours later, the federal agency reopened the airspace, allowing planes to land and take off at the busy airport.

About an hour after lifting the restrictions, US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, whose responsibilities include overseeing the FAA, explained the unexpected closure by saying, "The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion." (The Trump Administration refers to the Department of Defense as the Department of War, or DOW, although its legal name remains the former.)

Not everyone agrees with Duffy's account.

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Source: Ars Technica

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