The cartels are clearly escalating their capabilities, and while the army handled it, this is a warning that border security is facing increasingly sophisticated threats that aren’t going away.
Several drones operated by the cartels in Mexico breached American Airspace overnight near El Paso, with electronic-warfare measures being utilized by the U.S. Army at Fort Bliss to down the drones, resulting in this morning’s Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) issued by the… pic.twitter.com/ORGAyNwah1
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 11, 2026
- Federal officials say it happened.
- Local officials say they weren’t informed and can’t confirm it.
- The FAA reversed its 10‑day shutdown within hours, which added confusion.
BREAKING: 🇺🇸🇲🇽 White House says Mexican cartel drones caused El Paso airspace shutdown. Authorities disabled the drones, and commercial flights are safe. – NewsNation pic.twitter.com/mAX68JJ4ne
— War Radar (@War_Radar2) February 11, 2026
🚨 BREAKING: The FAA has just LIFTED the closure of airspace over El Paso, originally shut down for "special security reasons"
FAA: "There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal."
I wonder what happened 👀 https://t.co/opcb6qD8JK pic.twitter.com/77pq5mlqbe
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 11, 2026
🚨Update: A source briefed by FAA tells us the El Paso flight ban was driven by Narco military operations from Biggs Army Air Field at Fort Bliss, Texas! The FAA acted after the War Department could not assure civilian flight safety during combat operations near and in Mexico!! pic.twitter.com/Ru0sQ3EJ17
— US Homeland Security News (@defense_civil25) February 11, 2026
The Trump administration has taken down a drone tied to a Mexican cartel after it flew into US airspace.
The incursion forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to shut down El Paso airspace, which spans two US border states, for 10 days.
Hours later, the FAA lifted the ban, noting there was no ongoing threat to commercial travel.
‘Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of Defense took action to disable the drones,’ the White House said in a statement.
According to two sources familiar with the situation, the shutdown was part of a U.S. military operation targeting drug cartels.
The specifics of the operation remain unclear, though the Trump administration has repeatedly emphasized its intent to crack down on cartel activity in Mexico and beyond.
FAA Lifts El Paso Flight Ban As Reports Claim Military Deployed Counter-Drone Weapon Against Mexican Cartels https://t.co/9jcdJsGe6v
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 11, 2026
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed on X that the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of War “acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion” at or near the border town of El Paso.
“The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted, and normal flights are resuming,” Duffy said.