The sudden shutdown of the airspace over El Paso, Texas, was over a dispute between the FAA and the U.S. military regarding plans to test a laser capable of shooting down drones used by Mexican drug cartels, sources tell ABC News. @GioBenitez has more. https://t.co/vSfc9irGBF pic.twitter.com/qNOzAX70rq
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) February 12, 2026
Grok—
Incident Overview: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) mistakenly used a Raytheon high-energy laser system to down a civilian birthday balloon near El Paso, Texas, mistaking it for a cartel drone, prompting an FAA Temporary Flight Restriction over the area on February 11, 2026.
Technology Context: The HELWS laser, loaned from the Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, targets small aerial threats like drones amid rising cross-border incursions—over 1,000 cartel drone sightings reported in Texas since 2023—but its deployment highlights risks of false positives in civilian airspace.
Broader Implications: The mishap underscores tensions in U.S.-Mexico border security under the Trump administration, with critics questioning the escalation of military tech in domestic operations while supporters view it as necessary deterrence against smuggling networks.
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