Three southern airports closed for security reasons

Wilmington, Myrtle Beach and Charleston, collateral damage from the Chinese spy balloon? Air traffic has been suspended at three airports in the southeastern United States as a “national security” measure, the American civil aviation regulator (FAA) announced on Saturday, amid controversy over the presence of a Chinese balloon in the country’s airspace.

According to US media, citing unnamed sources, Washington plans to shoot down the craft over the Atlantic Ocean. The Chinese balloon, which the Pentagon claims is a “spy” balloon, was observed over South Carolina on Saturday, media also reported. “The FAA has suspended departures and arrivals at Wilmington Airport (North Carolina), Myrtle Beach International Airport and Charleston International Airport (South Carolina) as part of a national security taken by the US Department of Defense,” she said in a statement.

The balloon soon shot down?

US President Joe Biden said earlier today that the United States would “deal” with this ball, without offering further details. Then at the start of the afternoon, Joe Biden, to whom journalists asked if he was going to give the order to shoot down the ball, replied by simply giving a thumbs up.

This affair, which has cast a chill over relations between Washington and Beijing, has caused the postponement of a visit by the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken to China.

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