Focus story
The El Paso Airspace Shutdown
Last Wednesday, February 11, 2026, the city of El Paso became the center of a national security firestorm when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) abruptly shuttered all airspace over the international airport. What was initially announced as a 10-day closure was rescinded in less than 10 hours, leaving travelers stranded and local officials demanding answers.
The Official vs. Reported Reasons for Closure
The Trump administration, led by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, officially characterized the shutdown as a swift response to a Mexican cartel drone incursion. Administration officials claimed the “Department of War” (DOW) took action to “neutralize” a foreign threat to national security.
However, investigative reports tell a different story of bureaucratic miscommunication and uncoordinated military testing. Anonymous sources familiar with the incident revealed that the Pentagon allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to deploy a high-energy, counter-drone laser near Fort Bliss without first coordinating with the FAA. The FAA, fearing for the safety of commercial aircraft exposed to the laser, issued the closure order to mitigate risk. Most embarrassingly, reports from Ars Technica and The Intercept suggest that the object targeted by the advanced weapon may have simply been a Mylar party balloon rather than a cartel drone.
Why the Airspace Reopened
The rapid reopening occurred after the FAA and military officials determined the airspace was once again safe for commercial traffic. Critics and local representatives, such as Rep. Veronica Escobar, argued the restriction was lifted so quickly precisely because “there was not a threat”. Escobar noted that if a legitimate national security threat had existed, the House Armed Services Committee would have been briefed—a step that did not occur. The reopening followed what has been described as a “snafu” between federal agencies that failed to share safety data or notify the White House before the shutdown. Ultimately, while the administration cites national security, the evidence suggests a significant failure in inter-agency cooperation that turned a military test into a major civilian aviation crisis.
Sources:
Pentagon let CBP use anti-drone laser before FAA closed El Paso airspace (AP)
Why Did the FAA Suddenly Close El Paso’s Airspace? (Intelligencer)
Confusion reigns after closure of El Paso airport (Politico)
Confusion surrounds sudden El Paso airspace closure (Semafor)
Officials Dispute Trump Explanation of El Paso Airspace Closure: “There Was Not a Threat” (The Intercept)
El Paso airspace reopened after FAA quickly rescinds 10-day flight restrictions (The Texas Tribune)
Telex
Short notes from the global feed
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A driver killed by a fallen tree in western France, dozens were injured in Spain and Portugal, as 1 million people without power in Spain, flight canceled, schools closed.
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‘Two-speed Europe’ and ‘Made in EU’ form core conclusions of leaders’ retreat (euobserver)
As challenges mount, a two-speed Europe emerges as a way out (Euronews)
A 2-speed Europe to grow better and faster (may be): a different world is born and EU has to walk alone, it needs partners and allied at same level to move it stagnant economy.
Finance
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Alphabet Issues Century Bond to Fund AI Capex Blitz (The Tech Buzz)
AI needs money, is that the means of the 100-yrs Alphabet’s Bond?
IT World
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Data Centers need power, many power and not all country has enough to supply.
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WhatsApp Accuses Russian Government of Trying to ‘Fully Block’ Platform (The Moscow Times)
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