The U.S. military shot down a party balloon over El Paso, Texas, causing a 10-day airport closure that diverted flights and enraged local officials. This contradicts Pentagon claims that the airspace shutdown was due to Mexican drug cartel drone activity near the border. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's Pentagon pushed for urgent testing of new anti-drone laser technology from Fort Bliss, clashing with FAA safety protocols.

The FAA had scheduled meetings later in the month to assess risks to other aircraft, sources told CBS News. Flights, including medical evacuations, were diverted 45 minutes to Las Cruces, New Mexico, prompting Mayor Renard Johnson to declare the communication failure 'unacceptable'.