Unresolved UAP Sighting Over Middle East (2013) — Pentagon Report
A declassified Pentagon report details 2013 infrared sensor footage showing an eight-pointed star-shaped object moving through Middle Eastern airspace.
Archive Reference
This entry is documented within the Spooky Valley archives via source DOW-UAP-PR38, an Unresolved UAP Report concerning the Middle East in 2013. This primary-source declassified document was released on May 8, 2026, as part of the Department of War PURSUE release and the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) public document set.
Historical Context of Aerial Anomalies
The study of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) has undergone significant shifts in methodology and nomenclature over the last century. During the mid-twentieth century, such sightings were frequently categorized under the term UFO, often viewed through the lens of Cold War era anxieties regarding terrestrial surveillance technology or extraterrestrial visitation. By the early twenty-first century, the focus of military and intelligence agencies shifted toward the concept of “anomalies” within all domains of operation, including air, space, and sea. This transition reflects a move toward analyzing sensor-based data rather than relying solely on eyewitness testimony. The Middle East, a region characterized by high-density military presence and sophisticated electronic warfare capabilities, has historically been a focal point for the monitoring of unidentified aerial activity due to the frequent use of advanced infrared and radar sensors by various global powers.
Incident Description
In 2013, the United States Central Command submitted a report of an unidentified anomalous phenomenon to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). The evidence provided for this report consisted of one minute and forty-six seconds of video footage captured by an infrared sensor mounted aboard a U.S. military platform. The official report contained no oral or written description of the observation from the original reporter.
The visual data reveals an area of contrast that resembles an eight-pointed star with arms of alternating lengths. The footage begins with the sensor field-of-view narrowing to zoom in on this specific area of contrast. Between the eleven and twenty-nine-second marks, the area of contrast moves within the sensor field-of-view, leaving behind a visible trail. At the thirty-second mark, the area of contrast exits the sensor field-of-view at the bottom right of the screen. Following an apparent cut in the footage, the area of contrast generally remains within the sensor field-of-view for the remainder of the clip before exiting the frame from the top left quarter of the screen.
Analytical Status
The footage remains classified as an unresolved phenomenon. While the visual characteristics of the object—specifically the star-like geometry and the presence of a trailing signature—are documented, the nature of the object remains undetermined. Within the broader context of AARO investigations, this case is categorized by its reliance on high-fidelity sensor data rather than human observation, placing it in a subset of reports that are subject to rigorous technical scrutiny. The absence of supplemental descriptive data from the reporting command limits the ability to establish environmental variables or specific flight paths, leaving the event as a documented but unexplained anomaly in the historical record of Middle Eastern airspace.