Flights at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., were briefly grounded on Tuesday evening after U.S. federal aviation authorities responded to a reported security threat.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) described the event as a 'safety incident' but did not immediately provide details.

Approximately one hour later, the ground stop was lifted, and normal operations resumed, indicating that the threat had been cleared.

According to the flight-tracking service FlightRadar24, the incident involved an unverified bomb threat targeting a United Airlines flight.

The aircraft was directed to a secure, isolated area of the airport, away from other planes, while authorities conducted checks.

Law enforcement officials confirmed that passengers were safely evacuated, and Reuters cited a source saying the aircraft was searched 'out of an abundance of caution.'

NBC later released audio from air traffic control communications, in which a controller informed the flight crew of the situation.

'I’m sorry to do this to you,' the controller said, 'but we have an unverified report of a bomb on your flight.'

Local media footage showed the United Airlines aircraft parked near the Potomac River, with police officers standing beside it as emergency protocols were followed.

Within an hour, officials determined that the threat was not credible, and the airport resumed full operations.

The brief disruption caused limited delays but heightened attention to airport security procedures in the U.S. capital, where authorities maintain elevated vigilance for potential threats given the city’s strategic importance.