By Rabia Iclal Turan and Kasim Ileri
WASHINGTON (AA) - The Pentagon is tracking a suspected Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon over the continental US, an official said Thursday.
“We continue to track and monitor it closely," Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters.
“The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground,” he added.
"Once the balloon was detected, the US government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information," said Ryder, noting that similar activity had been observed previously over the past several years.
A senior defense official said the balloon was "clearly" intended for surveillance and entered US airspace a couple of days ago.
