The Pentagon’s Department of War has made public a previously classified file that records an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) sighting over the Middle East in 2020. Processed under the 2023‑established PURSUE policy, the document was handled by the All‑domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) together with the Office of the Secretary of Defense. While the report does not name the exact platform or sensor that captured the event, the file name suggests it originated from a U.S. military asset operating in the region.
According to the declassified material, multiple sensors tracked the object, which displayed flight behavior that did not match any known aircraft or natural occurrence. Key observations include the UAP holding a fixed position at roughly 30,000 feet before rapidly accelerating and exiting the monitored airspace.
During the acceleration phase, sensor data recorded a speed exceeding 400 knots. The entire encounter lasted about 12 minutes, and no electronic counter‑measures or communications were detected from the object. Radar and infrared signatures described the phenomenon as a solid, metallic‑looking sphere.
Technical details such as radar cross‑section and thermal signature are included in the original logs, though these specifics have been redacted in the public version. The Department of War classifies the incident as “unresolved,” indicating that analysts have yet to find a conventional explanation.
The report makes clear that the object showed no hostile intent, and no attempts were made to intercept or communicate with it. According to the document, the sighting occurred in an area of intense U.S. military activity, but the file does not associate the event with any particular adversary or known technology. The declassification aligns with the broader transparency initiative mandated by the PURSUE framework, which requires the review and release of historical UAP reports that do not jeopardize national security.
AARO, responsible for overseeing the declassification process, has prioritized Middle‑East cases where U.S. forces have repeatedly reported unexplained aerial objects. The office may seek additional data from the original sensor operators and conduct interviews with personnel who witnessed the phenomenon.
If new information emerges, AARO holds the authority to perform further analysis. The Department of War reiterated its commitment to continue publishing declassified UAP documents while safeguarding sensitive operational details. This release follows earlier disclosures of similar 2023 and 2024 Middle‑East UAP reports, reflecting an ongoing effort to provide the public with insight into encounters that remain scientifically and militarily puzzling.
