US reopens airspace over El Paso after claim of cartel drone infiltration

Al JazeeraCenterEN 3 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffFebruary 11, 2026 at 07:52 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

On February 11, 2026, the FAA reopened the airspace over El Paso, Texas, after abruptly closing it for 10 days due to a claimed drone incursion from a Mexican cartel. The Trump administration asserted a cartel drone infiltrated US airspace, prompting the initial closure, and later stated the drone was neutralized. However, the Mexican government, led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, has not confirmed the drone incursion and is investigating the incident. The FAA stated there is no threat to commercial aviation and flights have resumed as normal, but the swift reversal has raised questions about the legitimacy of the initial claims. The incident occurred in El Paso, a major city on the US-Mexico border, where border security has been a focus of the Trump administration.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Claudia Sheinbaum 35% Sean Duffy 35% Department of Defense 40% Rio Grande River 40% Ciudad Juarez 50% Texas 60% Mexican Cartel ×270% Donald Trump ×270% Mexico ×375% United States ×380% Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ×385% El Paso ×490%

Keywords

airspace closure 90% drone incursion 80% mexican drug cartel 70% el paso 70% us-mexico border 60% federal aviation administration 60% donald trump 50% air traffic 50% commercial aviation 40%