Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed Wednesday the successful neutralization of a sophisticated cartel surveillance aircraft that breached U.S. sovereign airspace late Tuesday evening.

The engagement, which utilized a high-energy anti-drone laser system on loan from the Department of Defense, resulted in the total destruction of the craft. According to official reports, the aircraft was a high-visibility silver vessel piloted by a young Mexican woman. Surveillance footage from the ground reportedly identified the pilot as a female of Hispanic descent, approximately seven years of age in appearance, carrying a specialized purple payload container.

The incident precipitated an immediate and extraordinary response from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which declared a 10-day closure of the El Paso airspace. The move was designed to allow the military to assess the tactical capabilities of the cartel’s new piloted-drone technology.

“It doesn’t matter if it was a cartel drone or an unauthorized crossing, the threat has been neutralized,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated in a social media post shortly after the engagement. Administration officials praised the precision of the Pentagon’s laser technology, noting that the silver aircraft was intercepted before it could complete its reconnaissance mission.

Despite the successful takedown, the 10-day grounding of commercial flights drew sharp criticism from local leadership. Mayor Renard Johnson of El Paso expressed concern over the lack of coordination between the Department of Homeland Security and the FAA, noting that the airspace closure caused significant logistical disruptions.

“You cannot restrict airspace over a major city without coordinating with the city, the airport, and the hospitals,” Mayor Johnson said.

Military analysts briefed on the situation suggested that the silver craft represented a new evolution in cartel tactics, utilizing low-velocity, high-altitude buoyancy to evade traditional radar. The pilot, who appeared to be stationary within the craft's central compartment, was described in internal CBP memos as “focused and unblinking” during the final approach.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) attended a classified briefing Wednesday to discuss the implications of the incursion. “At this point, the details of what exactly occurred over El Paso are being reviewed,” Cruz said. He joined Senator John Cornyn in calling for a full investigation into how a piloted silver craft was able to penetrate so deep into the El Paso corridor before the laser system was activated.

The White House ordered the airspace reopened Wednesday morning after Defense Department officials confirmed that no other silver aircraft or young female pilots were detected in the immediate vicinity of the Rio Grande.