On Wednesday, February 11, 2026,El Paso International Airport in Texas was temporarily shut down for about six hours after a Mexican drug cartel drone breached U.S. airspace. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Defense swiftly designated the area as 'National Defence Airspace' and neutralized the drone, confirming there was no remaining threat to commercial travel. While the sudden closure triggered flight delays and cancellations due to coordination and safety assessments between the Pentagon and the FAA, all flight restrictions have since been lifted and regular operations have resumed.