Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

US Shoots Down Another "Flying Object", 4th Incident In Over A Week

US Shoots Down Another "Flying Object", 4th Incident In Over A Week

This new device -- described as an octagonal structure with strings hanging off it -- was not deemed to be a military threat to anything on the ground
A US warplane shot down another flying object on Sunday, this time over Lake Huron on the US-Canadian border, the fourth in a dramatic series that began with the downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon a week ago.

Jittery Americans have been watching the skies as the mysterious incursions unfolded against a backdrop of acute tensions with China -- although only the first object has so far been attributed to Beijing.

President Joe Biden ordered a F-16 fighter to shoot down the latest object "out of abundance of caution," a senior administration official said.

This new device -- described as an octagonal structure with strings hanging off it -- was not deemed to be a military threat to anything on the ground, but it could have posed a hazard to civil aviation as it flew at about 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) over Michigan, the official said.

"We have no indication that it has surveillance capabilities but nor can we rule that out," the official said on condition of anonymity.

Reflecting the heightened state of alert, US authorities briefly closed the airspace over Lake Michigan Sunday, before the latest object was shot down further towards the Canadian border.

The US aerospace command NORAD tracked the new object visually and with radar, and it was downed over the lake "to avoid impact to people on the ground while improving chances for debris recovery," the Pentagon said in a statement.

A senior Republican on Sunday accused Beijing of "an act of belligerence" regarding the first object, a Chinese balloon shot down February 4 off the US East Coast after American officials said it was engaged in spying.

China has insisted it was a weather balloon blown off course.

"It was done with provocation to gather intelligence data, and collect intelligence on our three major nuclear sites," Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told CBS.

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, among senior lawmakers who received a government briefing, told ABC the second and third objects -- one shot down over Canada's Yukon territory on Saturday, and one downed over Alaska on Friday -- both appeared to be balloons, but "much smaller than" the first large one.

Meanwhile Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was heading Sunday to the western Yukon territory, where the third unidentified object was shot down a day earlier.

There, a US F-22 jet, acting on orders from the prime minister and US President Joe Biden, downed a "high-altitude airborne object" about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of the border.

Canadian officials described it as small and cylindrical, roughly the size of a Volkswagen car.

Recovery teams backed by a Canadian CP-140 patrol aircraft were continuing their search Sunday for debris in the Yukon, officials said.

US teams were struggling with Arctic conditions as they searched near Deadhorse, Alaska, where the second object was shot down Friday.

Operations were also continuing off the South Carolina coast, where the past week's drama climaxed when the initial large balloon was shot down.

'Real concerns'

Culminating a weekend with the military on alert, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said on Twitter that Sunday's Lake Michigan closure was "to ensure the safety of air traffic in the area during NORAD operations. The temporary flight restriction has since been lifted."

Republicans meanwhile have harshly criticized Biden for allowing the first balloon to drift for days across the country -- potentially gathering sensitive intelligence -- before having it shot down.

Schumer on Sunday defended Biden's handling, telling ABC an analysis of recovered debris would represent "a huge coup for the United States."

But Biden has faced bipartisan calls for greater transparency.

"I have real concerns about why the administration is not being more forthcoming," Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told NBC.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
Hungary's Szeleczki Shines at World Judo Championships
Visegrád Construction Trends Diverge as Hungary Lags
Hungary Hosts National Quantum Technology Workshop
Hungarian Animation Featured at Annecy Festival
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Austrian School Shooting Leaves Nine Dead in Graz
Bezos's Lavish Venice Wedding Sparks Local Protests
Europe Prepares for Historic Lunar Rover Landing
Italian Parents Seek Therapy Amid Lengthy School Holidays
British Fishing Vessel Seized by France Fined €30,000
×