The restriction, which came into force at 11.30 p.m. Tuesday local time (1.30 a.m. ET), impacts flights to and taking off from El Paso International Airport and it will be in place until Feb. 20.

The military testing, which was taking place near Fort Bliss, was of high-energy lasers that are designed to protect against drones from drug cartels that could cross over the U.S. border, three of the sources say.