President Joe Biden ordered the US military to shoot down the suspected Chinese spy balloon
President Joe Biden ordered the US military to shoot down the suspected Chinese spy balloon.
Fighter jets shot down the giant white balloon off the Carolina coast after it crossed sensitive military sites across North America.
In preparation for the operation, the FAA temporarily closed airspace over the Carolina coastline, including airports in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wymington, North Carolina. The FAA diverted air traffic from the area and warned of delays as a result of the flight restrictions
The public disclosure of the balloon this week caused the cancellation of the visit of US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, to Beijing scheduled for Sunday for talks aimed at reducing tensions between the US and China.
China claims the balloon was merely a weather research “airship” that flew off course. Of course, the Pentagon flatly rejected it.
The balloon was spotted over Montana, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile sites at Malmstrom Air Force Base
China denied any allegations of espionage and said it was a balloon for civilian use intended for meteorological research.