An "unidentified object" which "violated "Canadian airspace" was shot down over Canada Saturday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced.

The object was shot down by a U.S. military F-22 fighter jet over the Yukon, Trudeau said.

A U.S. official previously confirmed to CBS News Saturday that the object was detected by North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and appeared to be a "high-altitude balloon."

Trudeau tweeted that "Canadian and U.S. aircraft were scrambled" after he "ordered the take down" of the object by NORAD.

In a statement to CBS News, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said that it was detected over Alaska on Friday night, and then monitored by two F-22 fighter jets with the assistance of the Alaska Air National Guard.

The jets were "tracking it closely and taking time to characterize the nature of the object," Ryder said.

On Saturday, after the object crossed into Canadian airspace, President Biden authorized the F-22 fighter jet, which is assigned to NORAD, to "take down a high-altitude airborne object over northern Canada," according to Ryder.

It was shot down with an AIM 9X missile following "close coordination between U.S. and Canadian authorities," Ryder said.

The White House later confirmed that Mr. Biden "authorized" the "take down" of the object "following a call" with Mr. Trudeau. As Canada conducts recovery operations for the object, the FBI will assist the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with its investigation, Ryder disclosed.

All this comes one day after a "high altitude object" was shot down by the U.S. military over Alaska, and exactly one week after a Chinese spy balloon was shot down by the military off the South Carolina coast.

In a news conference Saturday evening, Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand said Saturday's object was shot down at 3:41 p.m. EST, noting that it was the first time that a "NORAD operation had downed an aerial object."

It was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet, and was downed about 100 miles from the Alaska-Canada border, Anand said.

Anand noted that it "appeared to be a cylindrical object" that "appeared to be smaller in size" than the Chinese spy balloon shot down off the South Carolina coast.

Anand earlier tweeted that she also spoke with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin regarding the object, and that they "reaffirmed that we'll always defend our sovereignty together."

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/unidentified-object-shot-down-over-canada-trudeau-says/

If that spying baloon was here in naija air space.... Your guess is as good as mine...

Cutecharlz:
If that spying baloon was here in naija air space.... Your guess is as good as mine...

Cutecharlz:
If that spying baloon was here in naija air space.... Your guess is as good as mine...

In Nigeria, we will gather little children to waive at it.

US AND CANADA, PLEASE BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DON'T SHOOT YOURSELVES.