The US military used a highly classified laser-weapon system to shoot down a party balloon, multiple outlets reported on Thursday, citing sources in the administration of President Donald Trump. The incident triggered an airspace closure over the Texas border city of El Paso.
The episode reportedly took place on Monday when Customs and Border Protection (CBP) deployed a Pentagon-loaned counter-drone laser at Fort Bliss, near El Paso International Airport, to target suspected Mexican cartel drones. Reuters reported the system used was the AeroVironment LOCUST, a 20-kilowatt directed-energy weapon the US military has been testing to counter drones and other aerial threats.
However, when debris from suspected drones was analyzed, at least three objects were identified as mylar balloons used at parties, sources told Reuters and Fox News.
While no official confirmation of the laser deployment was made, reports claimed the episode triggered a scandal in the Trump administration. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reportedly “went nuclear” because CBP allegedly used the system without its clearance, posing risks to commercial aircraft.
The FAA ordered a ten-day airspace closure over El Paso on Wednesday, though its X post did not mention the laser, and the restrictions were lifted seven hours later with minimal explanation.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Wednesday praised the episode as a joint FAA-Pentagon counter-drone effort but did not explicitly confirm the laser’s use. The FAA, Pentagon, and White House did not respond to media requests for comment.
The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. 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. https://t.co/xQA1cMy7l0
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 11, 2026
The incident came amid heightened cross-border tensions between the US and Mexico, with Trump accusing Mexican authorities of failing to curb drug smuggling and threatening military intervention.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico had requested explanations from the US over the El Paso airspace closure, stressing there was no Mexican involvement.
“There were different reports, but when the Foreign Ministry asked directly, we still didn’t get an answer, so they will have to explain,” she said, noting official US statements referred only to “cartels,” not Mexico.
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