Chinese balloon that traversed American airspace earlier this month.The three objects, including one shot down Sunday over Lake Huron, were traveling at such a low-altitude as to pose a risk to civilian air traffic, said White House national security spokesman John Kirby.
And though the Biden administration does not yet have evidence that they were equipped for spying purposes, or even belonged to China, officials also couldn't rule it out either, he said.RELATED: How a suspected Chinese spy balloon is different than America’s classic weather balloonLocations where U.S.
warplanes have shot down objects over North America in Feb. 2023. "These were decisions based purely and simply on what was in the best interests of the American people," Kirby said.Kirby spoke from the White House podium hours after China alleged that more than 10 U.S.
high-altitude balloons have flown in its airspace during the past year without its permission. American officials have vigorously denied the claim, with Kirby saying Monday, "We are not flying surveillance balloons over China."Chinese spy balloon flies above in Charlotte NC, United States on February 04, 2023.