US shot down high-altitude object off Alaska over ‘reasonable threat’, confirms White House

The United States has shot down a high-altitude object over Alaska which posed a “reasonable threat” to the country, confirmed the White House on Friday. On February 10, White House spokesperson John Kirby said at his daily news conference that he can confirm US Department of Defence tracked the object in the last 24 hours and shot it off while it was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet.

Kirby said, “the object was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight” before elaborating that the move was taken out of caution and was recommended by the Pentagon. US President Joe Biden ordered the military to down the object which came inside US territorial, the White House spokesperson said. Kirby also said that the said waters were frozen but it was inside the US’ “territorial airspace and over territorial waters”.




However, it is to note that the move came just a week after the American military downed a Chinese balloon which was spotted over US territorial waters. But the owner of the latest object hovering over Alaska is not determined, Kirby said.

Last Saturday, just hours after the US shot down the Chinese balloon, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin called his Chinese counterpart through their special crisis line. However, according to the Pentagon, Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe did not pick up. Chinese officials on Friday accused the US of manipulation and “hype”.

FAQs:

Who is John Kirby?
White House spokesperson

Where did US shoot down the high-altitude object?
Over Alaska