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Hovering objects and flashing lights: what we learned from UFO documents released by the Pentagon

May 8, 2026

The Pentagon released 161 previously classified documents about UFO sightings spanning several decades, following President Trump's directive to increase transparency on extraterrestrial phenomena due to significant public interest. The declassified files contain reports from Apollo mission astronauts who observed unexplained lights and particles during Moon missions in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as civilian accounts of strange aerial objects dating back to the 1950s. The release also includes recent military footage from Middle Eastern locations showing unidentified anomalous phenomena captured in 2022.

Who is affected

  • US astronauts from Apollo 11, 12, and 17 missions (Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean, Jack Schmitt) and Gemini 7 (Frank Boman)
  • US civilians who reported UFO sightings dating back to 1957
  • US military personnel who recorded footage in Iraq, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates
  • The American public seeking information about extraterrestrial phenomena
  • Members of Congress advocating for UFO disclosure (Tim Burchett, Anna Paulina Luna)
  • Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (as critic)

What action is being taken

  • The Pentagon is posting declassified UFO files on the Department of Defense's website
  • More files are being prepared for future release

Why it matters

  • This release represents a significant shift toward government transparency regarding UFO phenomena after decades of secrecy, responding to renewed public interest and congressional pressure. The disclosure of historical astronaut observations and military footage provides official documentation of unexplained aerial phenomena that have long been subjects of speculation and conspiracy theories. The release also demonstrates how government transparency on controversial topics has become a political issue, with some lawmakers viewing it as accountability while others see it as distraction from pressing policy matters.

What's next

  • More files are set to be released by the Department of Defense.

Read full article from source: BBC

Hovering objects and flashing lights: what we learned from UFO documents released by the Pentagon