US reopens airspace over Texas border town after 'drone incursion'

The US Department of Defense "took action" to disable drones that it said were part of an incursion over El Paso, Texas, which sits on the border with Mexico, and has lifted its order to shut down the area's airspace for 10 days.

"The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday night suddenly ordered flights in and out of the El Paso International Airport to be halted until 20 February, causing shock and confusion among local residents and elected leaders.

The agency said on Wednesday morning restrictions had been lifted and flights could resume.

City Council member Chris Canales, who represents an area on the southwestern side of El Paso, told the BBC that local authorities did not receive any advance notice or reason for the closure.

Long-term airspace closures are rare. Since 2018 the FAA has cut airspace closures from an average of more than four hours per launch to just more than two hours, according to its web site.

The restriction covered a 10-mile radius around El Paso, including parts of southern New Mexico, west of the town San Teresa.

After the initial closure, El Paso International Airport said in a statement it was told "on short notice" to halt all flights and contacted the FAA for more information.

"The notice was published without any advance notice to local governments or to local air traffic controllers," Canales said.

"There are some folks who are panicking a bit because of how highly unusual this is, and if you look at El Paso on the map you can see what unique geographical position it is," he added.

The cancellations were so abrupt that people reported being told by airlines that their flights were still scheduled, even after the FAA's announcement.

"Just called (United Airlines) about my flight this morning and they said it's still scheduled to leave???" one woman commented on Instagram early Wednesday.

Some on social media speculated about broader conspiracy theories and wondered if the US was on the brink of war.

"It is significant that the US shut down a major airport," Mick Mulroy, a former US Marine, CIA paramilitary officer and deputy assistant secretary of defense told the BBC.

"If the purpose was for counter drone activity related to cartel drones, it makes sense as the primary means to do so is through electronic warfare (EW)," he added. "EW poses a real risk to civilian aviation. Therefore it was prudent to do so."

Mulroy said the alleged cartel drones were most likely being used for surveillance and "not anything offensive".

Mexico's Ciudad Juarez is just south and west of El Paso, and US Army base Fort Bliss and White Sands Missile Range lie to the north.

Fort Bliss is a military post focused on training and White Sands Missile Range is the country's largest overland testing range for missiles, rockets and advanced weapons.