US on High Alert as Chinese Surveillance Balloon Flies Overhead

A suspected Chinese surveillance balloon is flying approximately 60,000 feet above the United States, according to the Pentagon’s press secretary, Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder. The balloon has the ability to maneuver, and officials are concerned about potential debris that could hurt people on the ground if the US were to take action against it.

The Pentagon has stated that the balloon is being used for surveillance, and is not, as China has claimed, a “civilian airship” primarily conducting weather research that was blown off course. Ryder also said that the balloon is large enough to be a cause for concern.

In addition to the balloon over the US, a second Chinese spy balloon is traveling over Latin America, according to Ryder. He did not specify how, but said that the balloon “has changed its course which, again, is why we’re monitoring it.”

The Pentagon is closely monitoring the situation, and is working to determine the purpose of the balloons and their potential threat to the US. Ryder said that the US is “prepared to take action” if necessary. It is unclear at this time what action the US may take, or what the consequences of such action may be.