El Paso airspace closure was reportedly triggered by the CBP's use of an anti-drone laser

"The hours-long closure of El Paso airspace stemmed from the use of an anti-drone laser deployed by Customs and Border Protection, according to reports from The New York Times and the Associated Press. Sources tell The Times that CBP officials didn't give the Federal Aviation Administration "enough time to assess the risks to commercial aircraft," leading to the abrupt shutdown. On Wednesday, the FAA closed the airspace around El Paso International Airport, citing "special security reasons." The move impacted commercial flights and emergency medical transportation."

"Though the agency initially said the closure would last 10 days, it reopened the airspace just hours later. At the time, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on X that the "FAA and DOW [Department of War] acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion," adding that the "threat has been neutralized." The New York Times reports that CBP officials "thought they were firing on a cartel drone," but it was actually a party balloon."

Customs and Border Protection deployed an anti-drone laser that led to an hours-long FAA closure of El Paso airspace. The FAA cited special security reasons and the closure affected commercial flights and emergency medical transportation. The airspace was initially described as closed for up to 10 days but was reopened within hours. Officials characterized the FAA and DOW response as swift and the threat as neutralized. CBP officials believed they had engaged a cartel drone but had actually targeted a party balloon, and CBP did not give the FAA enough time to assess risks to commercial aircraft.

Read at The Verge