BREAKING: NORAD monitoring ‘one or two’ potential spy balloons over North America

According to Global News, sources at NORAD confirmed one or two objects that could potentially be spy balloons were in North American airspace. NORAD released a statement, saying they "have positively identified a high-altitude airborne object over Northern Canada."

A spokesperson for NORAD, Major Olivier Gallant, said to Global News, "While we cannot discuss specifics related to these activities at this time, please note that NORAD conducts sustained, dispersed operations in the defence of North America through one or all three NORAD regions."

Gallant said that military aircraft are "currently operating from Alaska and Canada in support of (NORAD) activities."

The news comes after National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said on Friday that the United States military downed "a high altitude object" that had traveled into US airspace over Alaska.

"So I can confirm that the Department of Defense was tracking a high altitude object over Alaska airspace in the last 24 hours," Kirby said. "The object was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight. Out of an abundance of caution at the recommendation of the Pentagon, President Biden ordered the military to down the object and they."

On Sunday, a Chinese surveillance balloon that traversed a large portion of the continental United States was downed by an F-22 fighter jet in the Atlantic Ocean.

A little before 5pm Canada closed its airspace over parts of Yukon due to an "active air defense operation."

BNO News reports, "Airspace near Mayo, a village in the Canadian territory of Yukon, has been closed due to an 'active air defense operation,' according to a notice to airmen (NOTAM). 'No person shall operate an aircraft within the area described excluding military aircraft.'"

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed via Twitter that the "unidentified object" was shot down over the Yukon at 4:55pm on Saturday.

"I ordered the take down of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace. @NORADCommand shot down the object over the Yukon. Canadian and U.S. aircraft were scrambled, and a U.S. F-22 successfully fired at the object," Trudeau said.

"I spoke with President Biden this afternoon. Canadian Forces will now recover and analyze the wreckage of the object. Thank you to NORAD for keeping the watch over North America," he added.

This story is breaking and will be updated.