UNCLASSIFIED // PUBLIC RELEASERELEASE 01 · MAY 8, 2026
PENTAGON UFO FILE · VIDEO · DOW-UAP-PR038Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2013
Dated to 2013, this is one of the oldest military sensor videos in the first PURSUE release. Central Command sent AARO 1 minute and 46 seconds of infrared footage from a U.S. military platform somewhere in the Middle East. Nobody supplied any written or spoken account of what was seen, so the footage stands alone, and parts of the record are redacted.
An unusual shape
What sets the clip apart is the appearance of the target. AARO says it resembles an eight-pointed star whose arms alternate between longer and shorter. At ten seconds the operator zooms in, and for the next 20 seconds the star moves around the frame with a visible trail behind it before leaving through the bottom right.
The video then appears to cut, which suggests it was edited or stitched together, so the two parts may not be continuous. In the second, longer segment the shape stays in view for most of the time before leaving through the upper left part of the frame.
What the description does and does not claim
AARO describes the shape as it appears on the display. It does not say whether the star pattern belongs to the object or comes from how the sensor and its optics rendered a bright point, and it does not explain the trail. With no narrative, no location beyond a region and no measurements, the clip remains unresolved. See also FLIR.
The official description
From war.gov/UFO, released May 8, 2026, quoted in full
The United States Central Command submitted a report of an unidentified anomalous phenomenon to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) consisting of one minute and 46 seconds of video footage from an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 2013. The reporter did not provide any oral or written description of the observation.
Video Description: This video depicts an area of contrast resembling an eight-pointed star with arms of alternating length. 00:10: The sensor field-of-view narrows to zoom in on the area of contrast. 00:11-00:29: The area of contrast moves within the sensor field-of-view, followed by a visible trail. 00:30: The area of contrast leaves the sensor field-of-view at the bottom right of the screen. 00:35-01:44: Following an apparent cut, the area of contrast generally remains within the sensor field-of-view before exiting the frame from the top left quarter of the screen.
This video description is provided for informational purposes only. Readers should not interpret any part of this description as reflecting an analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination regarding the described event’s validity, nature, or significance.