Fact Check: Was El Paso airspace closure caused by a ‘party balloon shoot-down’?

EL PASO, TEXAS: Reports this week connected the temporary airspace shutdown over El Paso, Texas, to a military response near the southern border, claiming that a 'party balloon' was part of these events. This coverage has raised questions about whether the reported balloon incident caused the flight restrictions. Let us fact-check this.

Claim: El Paso airspace closure was caused by a party balloon

Following the temporary airspace shutdown, a CBS report published on Wednesday included reasons for the airspace closure. The report details how a party balloon ratcheted up tensions, followed by drones operated by Mexican cartels.

The report said that the anti-drone technology was launched near the southern border to shoot down what appeared to be foreign drones. The flying material turned out to be a party balloon, sources said. One balloon was shot down, several sources said.

The Mexican cartels have been running drones on the border lately, the sources said, but it was unclear how many were hit by the military’s anti-UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) technology this week. One official said at least one cartel drone was successfully disabled.

“The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion,” said Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a statement to CBS News. The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted, and normal flights are resuming.”

Fact Check: True, Fox News confirmed CBS report about party balloons

Later, Fox News confirmed CBS News’ report that the party balloon was true.

A US official confirmed to Fox News that the US military earlier this week shot down what was later determined to be a party balloon near El Paso, Texas, after initially assessing it as a possible foreign drone.

The misidentification eventually led to a total shutdown of airspace around the El Paso airport.

A separate US administration official had told Fox News that Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace near El Paso and that counter-drone measures were taken to disable them.

The Pentagon has been testing out new counter-drone technology, including a high-energy laser, near the Army base at Fort Bliss, Texas.

That laser was used to shoot down what appeared to be foreign drones — and was later identified as a balloon — prompting the airspace closure by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), an official told Fox News.