Four-foot-tall aliens, flying discs, star shaped objects: What Pentagon’s UFO files revealed

The Pentagon’s newly released UFO files reveal decades of unexplained sightings, from glowing orbs and star-shaped objects to Apollo astronauts reporting mysterious lights, though officials say there is still no confirmed evidence of extraterrestrial life.

The Pentagon on Friday released a major batch of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), commonly known as UFOs, revealing decades of unexplained sightings reported by astronauts, military personnel, intelligence officials and civilians.

The declassified archive, released following a directive from US President Donald Trump, includes more than 160 files containing military videos, infrared images, FBI memos, NASA transcripts and eyewitness accounts dating from the 1940s to 2026.

Officials stressed that the documents do not confirm extraterrestrial life or alien contact, but many cases remain officially “unresolved” due to limited evidence or missing data.

Are there UFO’s? 

The files document hundreds of mysterious aerial incidents across the globe, including sightings over North America, the Middle East, the East China Sea, Africa and the Mediterranean region near Greece.

Among the newly released material are military infrared videos showing fast-moving unidentified objects, radar tracks of unusual aerial shapes and reports of glowing orbs changing direction at extreme speeds.

One report described a football-shaped object observed near Japan by US Indo-Pacific Command, while another detailed a “super-hot orb” spotted during a helicopter mission. Military footage from Iraq, Syria and the UAE also captured unexplained aerial objects moving erratically through the sky.

The files also mention a US military sensor tracking an object making 90-degree turns at 80 mph near the ocean surface before it reportedly became invisible to infrared optics, causing the tracking system to lose contact.

Among the decades of reports are witness accounts describing hovering metallic objects, circular crafts rising from the ground and glowing aerial shapes materialising out of bright light. A 2022 military clip from the Middle East showed an oval-shaped object streaking across the sky, which investigators flagged as a “possible missile”.

Apollo astronauts report strange lights

The release also includes transcripts and images from the Apollo Moon missions. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin described seeing a “fairly bright light source” near the Moon during a 1969 debriefing.

Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean reported seeing flashes of light and particles “sailing off into space”, while Apollo 17 astronauts observed bright tumbling lights during their 1972 mission.

A NASA image from Apollo 17 showed three unexplained lights in a triangular formation above the lunar surface. Pentagon analysts said there was “no consensus” on the anomaly’s nature.

Alien claims and FBI records

• Some of the older FBI records included witness descriptions of disk-shaped, egg-shaped and cigar-like crafts allegedly hovering silently before accelerating away at high speed.
• One 1966 memo referenced reports of metallic objects interfering with electronic systems and moving at extraordinary speeds. Some eyewitnesses also claimed to have seen small humanoid figures, described as around four feet tall, near unidentified craft, though officials noted the accounts remain unverified.
• The files further referenced a glowing “eight-pointed star-shaped” object captured in military footage, alongside several reports of unexplained aerial activity that investigators could not conclusively identify.

Pentagon promises more transparency

The documents were uploaded to a new public Pentagon portal dedicated to UAP disclosures, with additional files expected to be released in phases. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the release was aimed at increasing transparency after years of public demand for disclosure.

Lawmakers including Tim Burchett and Anna Paulina Luna welcomed the release, calling it a “first step” toward greater openness.

However, Pentagon officials cautioned that many videos and sightings could have ordinary explanations, including weather effects, drones, balloons or sensor distortions. A 2024 Pentagon review had earlier concluded there was no verified evidence linking UFO sightings to extraterrestrial life.

Source : Moneycontrol