EL PASO, Texas — El Paso International Airport was temporarily shut down on Wednesday due to U.S. military technology testing, according to multiple sources.
The Department of Defense tested anti-drone technology near the airport, which involved shooting down objects later identified as party balloons. As a result, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary flight restriction notice.
Three sources reported that the testing near Fort Bliss involved high-energy lasers. These lasers are intended to defend against drones from drug cartels potentially crossing the U.S. border.
On Thursday, lawmakers in a National Transportation Safety Board hearing in Washington called for an explanation to prevent future occurrences.
“We can get into this kind of conflict where the FAA is saying that we’re going to shut down airspace for 10 days, and another agency is saying something different,” Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington said. “We need to resolve that. I hope that your calls for an interagency briefing will be heeded.”
A Trump administration official told NBC News that Mexican cartel drones had breached American airspace and the Defense Department disabled them. However, the Pentagon has not confirmed any drones were shot down.