The Pentagon released military footage of six small spherical objects that a U.S. crew reported moving at an estimated 480 mph over the Middle East, sparking the latest intrigue into what has become a national security issue.
The objects appeared at roughly 22,000 feet during a 2025 mission supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, according to CBS News. The crew reported the spheres were grouped, moving southeast, and often changing direction.
The Pentagon released infrared video from the encounter earlier this month, along with a declassified mission report, as part of its latest batch of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) records.
What the crew saw remains unexplained.
Military Observation Details
According to an accompanying mission report, the crew spotted the objects on July 29, 2025, while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.
The report describes six small spherical objects grouped together, appearing agile and frequently changing direction. The aircraft equipped with the infrared sensor was headed northwest when the objects were observed.
The video shows several objects entering the top of the infrared sensor’s field of view and moving downward. The sensor pans to keep the objects centered before changing magnification.
The Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office cautioned that its description of the video should not be treated as an investigative conclusion about the event’s validity, nature or significance. The speed, altitude and descriptions in the mission report were estimates made by the person reporting the encounter.
The report also lists whether the objects were under intelligent control as “unknown.” Their propulsion was also unknown, and the crew reported no recovered material and no effects on military equipment.
Declassified Report Released
The mission report was originally marked SECRET//NOFORN and was declassified July 10 by Maj. Gen. Richard Harrison, U.S. Central Command’s chief of staff, before being included in the Sept. 18 public release.
U.S. Central Command submitted the video to AARO, the Pentagon office that investigates reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena involving military personnel and sensors.
It was one of 15 videos released in the sixth batch of files published under the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters. The Pentagon plans to release more files on a rolling basis.
Another video in the same batch came from a 2025 Middle East mission in which a military operator described a white, round object that appeared to be moving as fast as 500 mph. That case is also listed as unresolved.
Status Unresolved
UAP is the government’s term for observations it cannot identify immediately. An unresolved case does not mean investigators have determined an object to be extraterrestrial or technologically extraordinary.
Key questions remain unanswered.
The Pentagon has not publicly identified the objects while portions of the mission report remain redacted, including operational details and the encounter’s exact location.
AARO has cautioned in other unresolved cases that limited sensor information can prevent investigators from determining whether an observation represents a physical object, a sensor artifact or another explainable phenomenon.
The public record now includes military infrared footage, a formerly classified mission report, and a crew estimate that the objects were moving at nearly 500 mph.
The identity of the six objects remains unknown.
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