The US Defense Department on Friday confirmed that a "high-altitude object" was shot down over Alaska after assessing it could be a "threat to civilian aircraft."

The unidentified object was first seen on Thursday night, and US President Joe Biden ordered the shooting down early Friday.

Unlike the Chinese balloon that was shot down before, officials noted that the new object was "much smaller" and seemed to be the size of a small car.

"The object was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet, and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at a Friday briefing, adding that officials have had no "outreach" with China over the development.

The US authorities presently have no idea who owns the "object", or have any information regarding its nature.

The US is "calling this an object because that's the best description we have right now," Kirby underscored.

Alaska's Elmendorf AFB shoots object down

The US military tapped on Alaska's Elmendorf Air Force base to help in the shooting down operation, which first saw fighter pilots fly alongside the object and deduce that the device was unmanned. There is no sign the device was maneuverable, officials said.

One F-22 fighter jet from Elmendorf base was eventually used in the operation, marking the second occasion in which this type of aircraft was used in an air-to-air combat mission. 

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a flight restriction within the airspace around Deadhorse, Alaska an hour before shooting down the object, warning that any aircraft not abiding by the order could be "intercepted, detained and interviewed" by officials.

While work on a recovery operation is underway, a timeline on when the object may be retrieved from the frozen Alaskan waters has not been given.

Biden: The operation was 'a success'

Biden's only comment on the incident was that it "was a success," when reporters asked for information on the day of the downing.

The US President's quick response to this incident shows a stark difference when compared to his delayed response for the Chinese balloon, for which he was widely criticized.

Read: WH says US in talks with allies after the Chinese balloon scare

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand, and staffers with the Senate Intelligence Committee were among the officials briefed on the matter.

"I was briefed on the matter and supported the decision to take action," Trudeau wrote in a Twitter post, adding, "Our military and intelligence services will always work together, including through [the North American Aerospace Defense Command], to keep people safe."

As for Anand, she said that both the Department of National Defense and the Canadian Armed Forces would coordinate with US officials to "ensure the protection of North American airspace."

US looks to sanction Chinese balloon manufacturer

The Biden administration has indicated it is considering imposing sanctions on the Chinese balloon manufacturer, as a retaliation for its overflight.

The US government alleges it is certain that the balloon's maker “has a direct relationship with China’s military and is an approved vendor of the PLA [People’s Liberation Army], according to information published in an official procurement portal for the PLA," a senior US State Department official told US media on Thursday.

The US has also sanctioned several other Chinese companies with alleged links to the PLA (People's Liberation Army), consequently, Chinese manufacturers of high-altitude balloons have started denying the balloon was theirs by issuing statements.

According to reports, the Chinese balloon was made out of plastic and was similar to those US company Raven Aerostar makes for US space agency NASA.