Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA) chief Abdel Ghani al-Kikli confirmed dead.
Gunfire heard in various areas of the Libyan capital of Tripoli.
Libyan sources: The Ministry of Interior urges all citizens in Tripoli to remain in their homes.
Libyan sources: Air traffic halted at Tripoli Airport following reports of the death of Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA) chief Abdel Ghani al-Kikli.
Libyan sources: Clashes and military movements reported inside the capital, Tripoli.
Sheikh Qassem: Lebanese officials must also prioritize rebuilding the state economically and socially, as well as returning the depositors’ funds.
Sheikh Qassem: The second priority is reconstruction, and I call on the Lebanese government to place this item first on the agenda of its next session.
Sheikh Qassem: Lebanese officials must prioritize ending Israeli aggression, its violations, its occupation, and securing the release of prisoners.
Sheikh Qassem: We are part of the new era and partners in its benefits, and we want those who previously took certain stances for specific reasons to reconsider them in order to build the country.
Sheikh Qassem: We say to the servants of Israel: return to your national sense so that we can work together.

US mulls downing Chinese 'spy balloon' over Atlantic Ocean: Reports

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 4 Feb 2023 21:04
4 Min Read

The US considers shooting down the balloon, according to US officials who said the move would require a "localized airspace shutdown" during the operation in order to protect civilians.

  • x
  • A balloon floats over Columbia, Mo., on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. (AP)
    A balloon floats over Columbia, Mo., on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023 (AP)

The United States is considering shooting down the alleged Chinese "spy balloon" in the US airspace when it reaches the Atlantic Ocean, the ABC broadcaster reported, citing a senior US official.  

The US might wait for the balloon to be over the Atlantic and then try to shoot it down and find its fragments, ABC added, adding that in order to protect civilians, the move would require a "localized airspace shutdown" during the operation.

US officials are working on plans to make the balloon land in the US territorial waters after they shoot it down, as Washington wants to study it, according to the broadcaster.

The Pentagon said on Thursday it was tracking a Chinese "spy balloon" flying high over the northwest United States, just days ahead of a rare visit to Beijing by the Secretary of State Antony Blinken, following a meeting last November between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit. The visit was supposed to be Blinken's first trip to an Asian country since 2018.

A senior defense official told reporters on Thursday that at US President Joe Biden's request, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and top military officials considered shooting the balloon down but decided that doing so would endanger too many people on the ground.

The official indicated that the balloon had flown over the northwest United States, where there are sensitive airbases and strategic nuclear missiles in underground silos, adding that the Pentagon did not believe it constituted a particularly dangerous intelligence threat.

Canada also said it was working with the United States to track the surveillance balloon, and it was monitoring a "potential second incident."

On Friday, China stated it was working to verify the facts around US claims that Beijing flew a "spy balloon" over its territory, warning against "hype" over the issue.

According to the senior defense official, China has sent surveillance balloons over the United States in the past, but this one has lingered in US airspace much longer.

Beijing's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said via a spokesperson that China regretted the unintended breach of US airspace. The spokesperson said that the device had strayed away from its planned course due to force majeure. 

Related News

Released Israeli captive rebuffs Netanyahu, thanks Trump

Hamas releases captive soldier Edan Alexander amid Gaza truce efforts

Blinken's visit postponed

On Friday, the US State Department announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would not leave for Beijing later in the day as initially planned due to the balloon incident.

Simultaneously, China's Foreign Ministry released another statement addressing Blinken's announcement.

"China... never violated the territory and airspace of any sovereign country," it said.

"Some politicians and media in the United States used the (balloon) incident as a pretext to attack and smear China," it tersely stated.

Furthermore, the Ministry affirmed that maintaining communication channels at all levels was important, "especially in dealing with some unexpected situations in a calm and reliable manner."

The statement further said in reference to Blinken's trip, which was to have begun Sunday and had been widely publicized in the United States, "As a matter of fact, neither China nor the United States has announced any visit."

"It is the United States' own decision to release the relevant information and we respect that," the statement concluded by saying.

Another "spy balloon"?

Moreover, the Pentagon confirmed today, Saturday, that a Chinese "spy balloon" has been tracked over Latin America, one day after a similar aircraft was seen in US skies.

At the time, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said the Chinese research balloon that accidentally breached US airspace on Thursday poses no threat to people on the ground.

It is worth noting that relations between the US and China have deteriorated particularly over Taiwan, with Washington selling arms to Taipei, as Biden has said he would help protect the island in case of an alleged Chinese attack.

Tensions over Taiwan reached a peak last year when Nancy Pelosi, then-speaker of the US House of Representatives, visited the island in a provocative move. After Republicans gained control of the chamber in January, questions have been raised over whether her successor will make a similar trip.

  • China
  • United States
  • spy balloon
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Montana
  • Antony Blinken

Most Read

Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu, senior Israeli official says

Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu: Israeli media

  • US & Canada
  • 9 May 2025
Pakistan downs an Indian jet and hits a military base in Kashmir escalation.

Pakistan downs 3 Indian jets, hits military base in Kashmir escalation

  • Politics
  • 7 May 2025
A Yemeni gunman walks past paintings depicting rockets and scenes in solidarity with Gaza, displayed on a roadside fence in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, May 5, 2025 (AP)

Oman brokers US-Yemen ceasefire, Israelis in dark regarding deal

  • Politics
  • 6 May 2025
Saree

Yemeni Armed Forces target key Israeli sites, USS Truman

  • MENA
  • 7 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem gives a speech to commemorate martyr Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine on May 12, 2025 (Al Mayadeen Screengrab)
Politics

Israeli pressure doomed to fail, Resistance to prevail: Sheikh Qassem

AP
Politics

'Israel is spiraling' amid Gaza war, internal fractures: The Nation

UNIFIL
Politics

'Israel' hindering Lebanese Army deployment in south: UNIFIL

The scene at BBC Broadcasting House in London, after red paint was sprayed over the entrance. (AP)
Politics

UK journalists given guidebook after failing on covering Gaza genocide

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS