According to three US officials, the US military is tracking a mysterious balloon that soared over American soil, but it’s unclear what it is or who it belongs to.
The item traveled over parts of Hawaii but not over any critical sites, according to officials.
According to one person, the US military has been following it since late last week and has assessed that it poses no threat to air traffic or national security and is not transmitting signals.
It’s unclear whether it’s a weather balloon or something else, according to the official, who added that the US might still fire it down if it gets too close to shore.
The item, which does not appear to be maneuverable, is drifting slowly toward Mexico, according to officials.
Officials in the United States believe the balloon does not belong to the Chinese, but they are still looking for the owner.
The National Security Council’s representative addressed inquiries regarding the object to the Defense Department, which did not reply quickly to a request for comment.
In early February, a Chinese spy balloon traveled across sections of the United States before being shot down off the coast of North Carolina.
Officials said the device was able to gather intelligence from multiple sensitive American military facilities despite the Biden administration’s efforts to prevent it.
