A Delta Airways airplane sits at El Paso Worldwide Airport after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lifted its momentary closure of the airspace over El Paso, saying all flights will resume as regular and that there was no risk to industrial aviation in El Paso, Texas, U.S., on February 11, 2026.
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
Mexican drug cartel drones entered American airspace however had been intercepted by the U.S. army, officers stated on Wednesday (February 11, 2026), explaining the temporary however mysterious closure of El Paso airport in Texas.
However Mexico stated it had “no info” on drones on the border, and the Trump administration’s model of occasions has been questioned by lawmakers in addition to sources cited by U.S. media who urged the shutdown was triggered by U.S. army drone or counter-drone exercise.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated on late Tuesday (February 10, 2026) the airspace over the Texas metropolis could be shut to all plane for 10 days, citing unspecified nationwide “safety causes”, solely to elevate the closure after lower than 24 hours.
The report of a drone breach comes some 5 months right into a U.S. army marketing campaign focusing on alleged drug-smuggling boats and will present a pretext for President Donald Trump to observe by on his threats to broaden the strikes to land, probably in Mexico.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated in a submit on X that the FAA and the Defence Division “acted swiftly to handle a cartel drone incursion”, including: “The risk has been neutralised, and there’s no hazard to industrial journey within the area.”
A U.S. administration official, in the meantime, stated the breach was by “Mexican cartel drones”, and that U.S. forces “took motion to disable the drones”, with out specifying how they did so.
However high Democratic lawmakers from the Home Committee on Transportation urged the Pentagon might have been chargeable for the scenario, saying that language in defence coverage laws allowed the U.S. army to “act recklessly within the public airspace”.
The lawmakers referred to as for an answer that ensures that “the Division of Defence is not going to jeopardise security and disrupt the liberty to journey.”
U.S. media reported that the El Paso airport closure might have been the results of U.S. army drones or anti-drone testing somewhat than a cartel risk.
Battle towards ‘narco-terrorists’
The Pentagon referred questions on the closure to the FAA, which stated when it introduced the transfer that “no pilots might function an plane within the areas” lined by the restrictions and warned of probably “lethal power” if plane had been deemed a risk.
It up to date its steerage on Wednesday morning (February 11, 2026), saying on X that the closure was lifted.
El Paso has a inhabitants of about 700,000 and is among the 25 largest cities in the USA. Virtually 3.5 million passengers handed by the airport between January and November 2025, based on knowledge on its web site.
Mr. Trump’s administration insists it’s successfully at battle with “narco-terrorists”, finishing up strikes on alleged traffickers within the Caribbean and jap Pacific, whereas the US president has repeatedly stated he plans to broaden the strikes to land.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum opposes U.S. army intervention in her nation however has thus far managed to barter a nice diplomatic line with Mr. Trump.
She has stepped up the extradition of cartel leaders to the USA and strengthened border cooperation amid tariff threats from Trump, for whom curbing unlawful migration from Mexico was a key election promise.
Ms. Sheinbaum advised a information convention on Wednesday (February 11, 2026) that she had “no info on the usage of drones on the border” however that her authorities was investigating the airport closure.
America started finishing up strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in September, a marketing campaign that has killed at the least 130 folks and destroyed dozens of vessels within the Caribbean Sea and jap Pacific Ocean.
U.S. officers haven’t offered definitive proof that the vessels are concerned in drug trafficking, prompting heated debate in regards to the legality of the operations, which consultants say quantity to extrajudicial killings.
Mr. Trump additionally ordered a stunning particular forces raid in Caracas at first of January to seize Venezuelan chief Nicolas Maduro, whom Washington accused of main a drug cartel.
Printed – February 12, 2026 02:34 am IST