Tensions near Alaska! Pentagon scrambled fighter jets against Russian reconnaissance plane

The United States scrambled fighter jets after detecting a Russian reconnaissance plane near Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said on Thursday, Newsweek reported, citing Focus.

(NORAD) sent an E-3, two F-16s and a KC-135 tanker aircraft to intercept the Russian Il-20 COOT plane flying in the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

"The Russian military plane remained in international airspace and did not enter US or Canadian sovereign airspace“, NORAD said. "This Russian activity in Alaskan airspace is a regular occurrence and is not considered a threat."

"NORAD conducts aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning in defense of North America," NORAD spokeswoman Capt. Rebecca Garand told Newsweek."

NORAD is a unique joint U.S.-Canadian military organization tasked with ensuring security throughout North American airspace. For the U.S., that includes not only the mainland but also Alaska, where NORAD fighters recently intercepted Russian Tu-95 bombers and Su-35 fighters flying in the state's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on July 22.