Surprise US military plans to use counter-drone laser triggered El Paso airspace closure, sources say

Surprise US military plans to use counter-drone laser triggered El Paso airspace closure, sources say: a running story on the front pages of 6 newsrooms from 12 February 2026 to 15 February 2026, 11 headlines over 4 days.

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As it ran

15 February 2026

• New York Times The Debacle That Led to the Closure of El Paso’s Airspace

14 February 2026

• CNN US military’s urgent push for laser weapons behind El Paso airport shutdown

13 February 2026

• CNN Communications breakdown over El Paso airspace closure sparks finger pointing across Trump administration
• Wall Street Journal CBP fired the laser thinking it was aiming at cartel drones, leading the FAA to close the airspace over El Paso—and causing an uproar in Washington.
• CNN Surprise US military plans to use counter-drone laser triggered El Paso airspace closure, sources say

12 February 2026

• CNN Surprise US military plans to use counter-drone laser triggered El Paso airspace closure, sources say
• New York Times Military’s Use of Anti-Drone Technology Is Said to Cause El Paso Airspace Closure
• New York Times What We Know About the El Paso Airspace Shutdown
• BBC News Party balloon or drug drones? Closure of El Paso airspace causes 'chaos'
• AP Pentagon let CBP use anti-drone laser before FAA closed El Paso airspace, AP sources say
• South China Morning Post US military laser tech and cartel drones stir airspace confusion in Texas