The U.S. military is currently tracking a balloon that was recently spotted over parts of Hawaii. Its country of origin remains a mystery, officials told NBC News.
The military believes the balloon poses no threat to air traffic or national security, the outlet said, citing one unnamed official.
The official told NBC News that it’s not clear whether the object is a weather balloon, but said it is not communicating signals. The officials who spoke to NBC News said it didn’t appear to be maneuverable.
The balloon is currently moving toward Mexico. If it nears land, it’s possible the U.S. will shoot it down.
The U.S. military shot down a Chinese balloon in February. That balloon appeared to be part of a broad surveillance program run by Beijing that has also targeted Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines.
Authorities don’t believe that China sent the balloon that is currently heading toward North America, but its origin hasn’t been determined.
The Department of Defense did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
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