Balloon to stay over US for a few days, claims Pentagon
WH: Briefed about violation of US airspace, Prez monitoring situation
Washington, Feb. 4: The Chinese balloon, of the size of three buses, laced with a significant number of payloads will probably be over the United States for a few days, the Pentagon said while asserting that it has surveillance capabilities.
President Joe Biden has been briefed about the violation of US airspace by China and he is closely monitoring the developing situation, the White House said while adding that as of now they have decided against destroying it because of the safety of the public, but all actions are on table.
“We will continue to monitor it. Right now, we assess that it'll probably be over the United States for a few days, but we’ll continue to review our options and keep you updated as we can,” Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said at the department of defence.
“It’s got a large payload underneath the surveillance component, underneath the actual balloon piece of it,” Ryder said, adding that the surveillance balloon has maneouverability capabilities. “Right now at this point, it’s moving eastward across the United States,” he said.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the US has noted the Chinese statement of regret. But the presence of this balloon in our airspace, it is a clear violation of our sovereignty as well as international law, and it is unacceptable that this occurred, she said.
Both the White House and the Pentagon said that it does not present a military or physical threat to people. President Biden asked the military to present options. Defence secretary (Lloyd) Austin, chairman Milley, the commander of Northern Command recommended not to take kinetic action because of the risk to safety of the people on the ground.