The United States today shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the country's east coast, local media reported. Earlier this week, US had claimed that the balloon was spying on sensitive military sites across North America.
Fox News and CNN reported the operation after three southeastern airports were temporarily shut down earlier in the day amid what the Federal Aviation Administration called a "national security effort."
Footage on local media showed a small explosion, which was followed by the balloon descending toward the water. The operation was planned in a manner that all the debris falls into the ocean. Ships had been deployed to recover as much of the debris as possible.
Hours before the balloon was shot down, US President Joe Biden had vowed to "take care" of the balloon.
Asked by reporters to comment on relations with China and the balloon incident, Biden told reporters, "We're gonna take care of it."
The balloon was initially detected entering US airspace on January 28. The white orb lingered over Montana, the site of intercontinental-ballistic-missile silos, and made its way across the country to North Carolina on Saturday.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry had on Friday confirmed that the balloon belonged to China, but said that it was a civilian airship conducting climate research and accidentally blew off course.
American officials did not shoot it down earlier over concerns of hurting people or property on the ground.
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