WASHINGTON: The White House acknowledged on Tuesday that the three still-unidentified aerial objects that the U.S. shot down over the past week likely only had a "benign purpose," as opposed to the enormous Chinese balloon that earlier crossed the country with what was likely a surveillance-related purpose.

According to White House national security spokesman John Kirby, "the intelligence community is considering as a leading explanation that these could just be balloons tied to some commercial or benign purpose."

A missile that was fired at one of the three targets over Lake Huron on Sunday missed its intended target and landed in the water before a second missile made a successful strike, according to officials.

The new information was released as Congress resumed its review of the Biden administration's recent actions.

First off, citing safety concerns, American fighter jets delayed shooting down what officials described as a Chinese spy balloon until after it had traversed much of the country. The military then sent out F-22 fighters equipped with heat-seeking missiles to swiftly shoot down what were probably innocuous objects.

When considered collectively, the actions raised political and security concerns about whether the Biden administration overreacted after receiving criticism from Republicans for responding slowly to the large balloon.

According to a U.S. official, American intelligence thought it had been headed in the direction of Guam at first, the U.S. tracked it for several days after it left China, and it seemed to have been blown off course and eventually flew over the entire United States.

A strategic hub for the U.S. Navy and Air Force in the western Pacific, Guam, has previously seen balloons and other strange objects.

It's uncertain how much control China still had over the balloon after it deviated from its intended course.

It's unclear whether Chinese forces directed the balloon to loiter over a particular target, according to a second U.S. official, but it is possible.

Officials have not yet found any evidence that the balloon that was shot down off the coast of South Carolina on February 4 was part of a larger surveillance operation.

Additionally, it is unlikely that the items were used for any kind of intelligence gathering against the United States, as is currently implied. According to Kirby, no state or private organization has asserted ownership of any of the objects.

On Monday, Kirby gave a hint that the three objects were fundamentally distinct from the balloon, including in terms of size. And his remarks on Tuesday were a blatant attempt by the White House to draw a distinction between the balloon, which officials believe was a component of a Chinese military program that has operated across five continents, and items that they believe could merely be a part of some research or commercial endeavor.

Senators in Washington attended a classified briefing on the shootdowns from Pentagon officials. However, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, stated that the recent successful interceptions were likely to have a "calming influence" and reduce the likelihood of shootdowns in the future. After the briefing, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, told reporters that he didn't believe the objects posed a threat. They are attempting to determine why there is so much trash up there. You must determine what poses a threat and what does not. "You shouldn't always have to dismiss what you see," said Graham.

Leaders from around the world have also taken notice of the recent incidents, including those from Canada, where one was shot down on Saturday, and the United Kingdom, where the prime minister has commanded a security review.

According to the Japanese Defense Ministry, at least three flying objects that have been observed in Japanese airspace since 2019 are almost certainly Chinese spy balloons. U.S. officials also confirmed that a second missile, which was intended for the target over Lake Huron, hit it after the first missile landed in the water.

Milley said, "We're very careful to make sure that those shots are actually safe. "And that is the president's advice. Shoot it down, but watch out for collateral damage and the security of the American populace.

The Sunday target was the third to be shot from the air in as many days. The objects, according to the White House, were smaller and more maneuverable than the Chinese surveillance balloon that American fighter jets shot down earlier this month, but their attitude was still low enough to endanger civilian air traffic.

Recovery efforts have so far been hampered by weather issues and the remote locations where the three objects were shot down over Alaska, Canada, and Lake Huron.

In order to discuss additional weapons and defense requirements for Kyiv in advance of Russia's anticipated spring offensive, Milley traveled to Brussels with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.