The Pentagon announced - Thursday - that it is tracking a Chinese spy balloon flying high over the United States, while military officials discussed shooting it down over Montana.
A senior defense official told reporters that at the request of US President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and senior military officials considered shooting down the balloon, but ultimately decided it could endanger many people on the ground.
The official said the balloon flew over the northwest US, where sensitive air bases and strategic missiles are located in underground bunkers.
"It is clear that the intent of this balloon is surveillance, and its current trajectory leads it over a number of sensitive sites," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added.
But the Pentagon does not believe the airship poses a serious intelligence threat. "We assess that this airship has limited value-add from an intelligence-gathering perspective," the official said.
Airspace
The official said the balloon entered US airspace "two days ago," adding that US intelligence had been tracking it long before that.
The official said the Pentagon's decision was "not to take practical action because of the risk to the safety and security of people on the ground from any potential debris," noting that the balloon was flying high enough not to threaten commercial aviation.
After Biden asked about options for dealing with him, Austin, who was in the Philippines, held discussions Wednesday with senior Pentagon officials, and fighter jets were sent to check the balloon while it was over Montana while the discussions took place.