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
DPRK strongly condemnded the US strikes on Iran
Iran: Fars News Agency: A woman and her 6-year-old son were killed in an Israeli drone attack on Kermanshah Province
Iran: IRNA: Attack Wave 21 was not carried out, and the operation carried out minutes ago was from Yemen against targets in the occupied territories
Sirens are sounding in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas
Israeli military command: We identified missiles launched from Iran
Tunis: The legitimacy created by World War II is crumbling and the future belongs to free peoples of the world
Tunis: We emphasize that the aggression against Iran should not obscure other ongoing crimes, the first of which is the war of extermination against the Palestinian people
Tunis: International legitimacy does not permit or justify aggression against Iran under any cover or title
Tunisia: Foreign Ministry: We call for an end to the aggression against our sister country, Iran, and we do not limit ourselves to condemning the Zionist and American attacks
Iran: Nur News: An Israeli aerial assault is targeting the region of Parchin, east Tehran

US shoots down unidentified object over Northern Alaska: Pentagon

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 10 Feb 2023 23:06
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says another unidentified object was shot down by the US which assessed it could be a risk to civilian aircraft.

  • x
  • A Raytheon-built AIM-9X Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missile is mounted on one of the 3rd Wing's F-15C Eagle jets at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, on Sept. 26, 2003 (AP Photo/Mark Farmer, File)
    A Raytheon-built AIM-9X Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missile is mounted on one of the 3rd Wing's F-15C Eagle jets at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, on Sept. 26, 2003 (AP Photo/Mark Farmer, File)

The United States shot down on Friday afternoon a high-altitude object over Alaska after assessing it could be a "threat to civilian aircraft," White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Friday.

 "The object was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet, and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight. President Biden ordered the MIlitary to down the object over Alaska," Kirby said at a press conference.  

The unidentified object went down on the northern side of Alaska, close to the Canadian border and the Arctic Ocean, Kirby added.  

The Pentagon had been keeping an eye on the object, which was smaller than the alleged Chinese surveillance balloon that the US shot down last week, Kirby added.

"I know of no outreach to the Chinese government about this," said Kirby, when asked if the US had contacted China.

According to Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder on Friday, an unidentified flying object above Alaska was shot down by an F-22 fighter plane and an AIM-9X missile.

“The aircraft that took down the object was an F-22 flying out of joint base Elmendorf in Alaska, and employed AIM- 9X to take down the object,” Ryder said told a briefing.

Ryder said the decision to shoot the object down took into account a "reasonable" threat to civilian aviation traffic.

Related News

Trump pushes Iran regime change rhetoric, administration contradicts

Russia, China, and Pakistan call for ceasefire amid US attacks on Iran

In another context, the US Federal Aviation Administration blocked some airspace in northern Alaska and designated it "national defense airspace."

"Pursuant to 49 USC 40103(b)(3), the federal aviation administration (FAA) classifies the airspace defined in this NOTAM as 'ntl defense airspace'. pilots who do not adhere to the following proc may be intercepted, detained and interviewed by law enforcement," the notice said.

The US Federal Aviation Administration also stated that any aircraft deemed to be a security danger could be destroyed by the US government using "deadly force."

It is worth mentioning that diplomatic relations have declined for the past week since the balloon incident, which caused a row, with the US claiming it was a 'spy' balloon and China stating it was for research purposes.

The balloon was located over the North American Aerospace Defense Command on January 28 over Alaska before it got detected over missile sites in Montana. Days later, after tracking, the US decided to shoot it down over the South Carolina coast. 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated on Saturday that "China... never violated the territory and airspace of any sovereign country," adding that "some politicians and media in the United States used the (balloon) incident as a pretext to attack and smear China."

Following the incident of the discovery of the balloon, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was scheduled to visit China, postponed his visit just hours before he was supposed to depart for Beijing.

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing several US officials, that the US intelligence claims that the Chinese balloon was part of a vast surveillance program of China's People's Liberation Army.

Also, White House Spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre claimed that Chinese balloons have been spotted in other nations on five different continents before and that the United States is discussing and coordinating this matter with its allies.

  • United States
  • Chinese balloon
  • Pentagon
  • China
  • John Kirby
  • white house
  • Alaska

Most Read

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)

Wave 12 of Operation True Promise 3 launched, Sejjil deployed: IRGC

  • Politics
  • 18 Jun 2025
Israeli workers survey the site where a missile launched from Iran struck in Haifa on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

True Promise 3, wave 20: 40 missiles launched, Kheibar-Shekan in first

  • Politics
  • 22 Jun 2025
Iran launches missile barrage to Tel Aviv, casualties reported

True Promise 3, wave 14: Tel Aviv targeted, casualties reported

  • Politics
  • 19 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, speaks with then-Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis in a meeting in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, January 17, 2017 (AP)
Politics

Iran holds the initiative after nuclear strikes, Shamkhani says

Blood stains a religious painting inside Mar Elias Church, where a suicide bomber detonated himself in al-Dwela, on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, June 22, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN, regional governments condemn Damascus church bombing

A B-2 bomber arrives at Whiteman Air Force Base Missouri, Sunday, June 22, 2025, after returning from a massive strike on Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday (AP)
Politics

Israeli media: US-Israeli strike on Iran failed to end war

China UN Ambassador Fu Cong addresses the United Nations Security Council, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Politics

China slam US strikes on Iran nuclear sites

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