The Federal Aviation Administration grounded flights around Fort Hancock, Texas after the reported incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed sweeping flight restrictions near a key border crossing into Mexico after a Pentagon-operated laser system reportedly shot down a US government drone in the region.
The FAA grounded most aircraft from operating in airspace near Fort Hancock, Texas, late Thursday. “Special Security Reasons” In Notice to Air Operations (NOTAM). The restrictions took effect at 6:30 PM local time and will remain in effect until June 24, although emergency flights such as air ambulances and search and rescue operations may be authorized on a case-by-case basis.
Neither the Pentagon nor the FAA have commented on the reported incident, but senior Democratic lawmakers overseeing aviation and homeland security issues criticized it. “disability” and poor coordination between military and civilian agencies.
“Our heads are exploding at the news that DOD shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone using a high-risk counter-unmanned aircraft system” Representatives Rick Larsen, Benny Thompson and Andre Carson said in a joint statement Thursday.
According to a congressional aide cited by Reuters, a drone operated by CBP was intentionally targeted by a high-powered laser weapon designed to counter unmanned aerial threats. The type of drone involved and the exact date of the shootdown are unclear.
The reported shootdown follows a similar controversy earlier this month in nearby El Paso, where the FAA briefly grounded air traffic after concerns emerged about testing the same system against objects identified as party balloons. That restriction was lifted hours after the Pentagon agreed to delay further testing pending a federal safety review.
The new incident comes amid security concerns along the southern US border, where federal authorities have expanded surveillance and counter-drone efforts in response to increased activity by Mexican drug cartels.
Cartel violence gripped Mexico last week after drug lord Oseguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho, was killed in a joint US-Mexican military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco. The operation sparked unrest in Jalisco and at least eight other states, with videos circulating online showing burnt cars and smoke rising from commercial buildings. Clashes between the military and drug cartels have raised concerns about the smooth staging of the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer.
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