Pentagon Releases Third Batch of UFO Files, Revealing New Orb Sightings and Unexplained Encounters
In July 2025, at approximately 2100 local time in the northeastern United States, an eyewitness observed an intense bright light in their backyard as they parked their car upon returning home from work.
Dept. of Defense
image source: nbcnews.com
Key Points
The Pentagon has released a third batch of declassified UFO/UAP files.
The release includes 53 documents, 10 images, six videos, and audio recordings from multiple U.S. agencies.
Files originate from the FBI, CIA, NASA, Department of Defense, and other government organizations.
Several reports describe mysterious glowing orbs observed by federal agents and civilians.
New videos include sightings from 2024 and 2025 in the northeastern United States.
A 2022 Colorado Springs case involving a strange "potato-shaped" object remains unresolved.
Historical files include a 2008 UFO sighting above Harare International Airport in Zimbabwe.
Officials say no definitive evidence of extraterrestrial life has been found.
The Pentagon says additional UAP files will be released in the future.
The disclosure is part of the government's ongoing transparency initiative regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP).
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The U.S. Pentagon has released its third batch of declassified UFO files, providing the public with dozens of newly disclosed documents, images, videos, and audio recordings related to unexplained aerial sightings that have puzzled investigators for years. The latest release, announced on June 12, 2026, is part of the government's broader transparency effort regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), the official term now used instead of UFOs. The newly published collection contains 53 documents, 10 images, six videos, and multiple audio recordings originating from agencies including the FBI, CIA, NASA, and the Department of Defense. The files span decades of reports and investigations, from Cold War-era sightings to incidents reported as recently as 2025.
How to View the Released UFO Files
The newly released UFO and UAP records are available to the public through the U.S. government's Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE). Readers can browse the complete collection of declassified documents, images, videos, audio recordings, and eyewitness reports from multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, CIA, NASA, and the Department of Defense. The third release, published on June 12, 2026, can be accessed through the official UAP archive, where additional records are expected to be added as future declassification reviews are completed.
Readers can explore the archive at:
https://www.war.gov/UFO/release/03/?releaseDate=Release+03&release=03
and view released UAP videos at:
https://www.war.gov/ufo/?type=.vid&releaseDate=Release+03&release=03.
The Pentagon says the disclosures are part of an ongoing transparency initiative aimed at providing greater public access to historical and current investigations into unidentified anomalous phenomena.
Official Release 03 Resources
- Documents, Images & Reports:
https://www.war.gov/UFO/?releaseDate=Release+03&release=03 - Videos Only:
https://www.war.gov/ufo/?type=.vid&releaseDate=Release+03&release=03 - Complete UAP Archive:
https://www.war.gov/UFO/
One of the most discussed revelations involves a series of sightings reported by five federal law enforcement agents in October 2023. According to witness accounts included in the files, agents observed unusual glowing orange and red objects moving across the sky. Several witnesses described a large orange orb appearing to release smaller red orbs that moved independently in coordinated formations. One witness compared the event to "grapes being expelled from a basketball," while another recalled a colleague asking, "Are you seeing this?" as the phenomenon unfolded. Digital renderings created by the FBI were included to illustrate what witnesses reported seeing. Investigators examined possible explanations, including military activity and atmospheric effects, but the incidents remain unresolved.
Among the newly released videos is a case labeled "Northeastern Orb Sighting," recorded in July 2025. Witnesses observed two bright lights moving silently through the night sky in apparent formation. Another case, titled "Orbs Over the Pond," documents an October 2024 sighting of a luminous object hovering above a pond in the northeastern United States. According to the Pentagon's description, the object resembled a plasma-like sphere that periodically changed shape, brightness, and structure. Witnesses reported seeing smaller lights separate from the main object while it remained nearly stationary for approximately 45 minutes before disappearing. Investigators have not provided a definitive explanation for the event.
The release also includes historical material from the CIA. One notable document concerns a 2008 sighting above Harare International Airport in Zimbabwe, where observers reported a disc-shaped object with rotating lights and beams emanating from it. According to the report, the incident generated significant concern among officials at the time and was transmitted to intelligence channels and the White House Situation Room. Investigators could not determine whether the object was a foreign surveillance platform, an unknown technology, or something else entirely.
Another intriguing case dates to 2022 near Colorado Springs, Colorado, where witnesses described a strange object shaped like a potato with a creamy-white, semi-translucent appearance and a shimmering surface. Intelligence analysts later suggested, with low confidence, that the sighting may have resulted from sunlight reflecting off snow and illuminating cloud formations. However, the Pentagon states that the case remains unresolved. An artistic rendering based on witness descriptions was included among the newly released materials.
The files also revisit the government's historical approach to UFO investigations. Included in the release are records from a CIA scientific advisory panel that met in the early 1950s. At the time, officials concluded that flying saucers did not present an immediate threat to national security but recommended efforts to reduce public fascination with UFO reports. The newly released documents provide additional insight into how governments have studied unexplained aerial phenomena for decades.
Despite the excitement surrounding the release, the Pentagon emphasizes that none of the newly disclosed files provide definitive proof of extraterrestrial life or alien visitation. Many incidents remain unexplained because of insufficient evidence rather than evidence of non-human technology. Officials continue to evaluate reports through the Pentagon's investigative programs while making more historical records available to the public. Defense officials have stated that additional files are expected to be released on a rolling basis as declassification reviews continue.
Key Points Summary
Pentagon released a third batch of UFO/UAP files on June 12, 2026.
Files include documents, images, videos, audio recordings, and eyewitness testimony.
Federal agents reported mysterious orange and red orb sightings in 2023.
New videos show unexplained aerial lights observed in 2024 and 2025.
A Zimbabwe airport UFO report from 2008 was included in the release.
A strange 2022 Colorado Springs sighting remains unresolved.
Historical CIA documents reveal how UFO reports were handled during the 1950s.
No evidence proving extraterrestrial life was presented.
Investigations remain ongoing.
More releases are expected in the future.
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Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ]
What did the Pentagon release?
The Pentagon released 53 documents, 10 images, six videos, and multiple audio recordings related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs.
Does the new release prove aliens exist?
No. The Pentagon states that none of the released materials provide definitive evidence of extraterrestrial life.
What are the most notable cases?
The most discussed cases involve glowing orange and red orb sightings reported by federal agents, mysterious lights recorded over the northeastern United States, and a 2008 sighting over Zimbabwe.
What is a UAP?
UAP stands for Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, the official government term for unexplained objects or events observed in the air, sea, or space.
Are more UFO files expected?
Yes. Pentagon officials say additional files will be released as they complete declassification reviews.
Why is the government releasing these files now?
The disclosures are part of a transparency initiative intended to provide greater public access to historical and current UAP investigations.
Sources
- CBS News:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ufo-files-pentagon-3rd-release-documents-videos/ - Department of War:
https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4515408/department-of-war-publishes-third-release-of-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-f/ - NBC News:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/third-batch-declassified-ufo-files-reveals-sightings-world-investigate-rcna349775 - Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/new-pentagon-ufo-file-reveals-glowing-orbs-us-northeast-2026-06-12/ - Associated Press:
https://apnews.com/article/34c2a9b294e94a972f352df42c4a17ae
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