On February 10, the US shot down balloons, mistaking them for drones from Mexican cartels, which caused discontent in Washington due to lack of coordination between agencies.

On February 10, the US shot down balloons, mistaking them for drones from Mexican cartels, which caused discontent in Washington due to lack of coordination between agencies.

@varlamov_news 13 Feb 2026, 08:22

The U.S. Border Patrol used Pentagon laser weaponry against balloons, mistaking them for cartel drones, leading to a 10-day closure of airspace over El Paso and chaos in the city.

@meduzalive 13 Feb 2026, 07:31