US shoots down 'unidentified object' over Alaska

The Pentagon shot down an "unidentified flying object over Alaska this Friday at the order of President Joe Biden, The New York Times reports.

The shoot down was confirmed by Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, who did not confirm that the object was a balloon, only saying that it was high enough to be a threat to civilian aircraft.

Biden ordered the object to be shot down “out of an abundance of caution,” Kirby said. It also could not be confirmed if there was any surveillance equipment on the object.

Less than a week ago, the U.S. shot down a Chinese spy balloon that had traversed the United States.