The Pentagon has finally released the infamous UFO files—here's what they reveal

On May 8, 2026, the Pentagon released declassified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), previously known as UFOs (unidentified flying objects), on a dedicated government website.

This is an archival image from the Apollo 17 mission to the Moon. In this enlarged image, three lights that are visible above the lunar terrain have been marked with a yellow box.

This image is a shot from an unresolved UAP report from Africa. The image is from 2025, when a U.S. military operator reported a UAP while working within African airspace.

In recent years, the United States has witnessed a surge in public interest regarding the existence of extraterrestrial life. Back in 2022, things started to change when Congress had UFO hearings for the first time in 50 years. Following the release of the files, the military has vowed to provide more transparency on the subject.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command reported a UAP near Japan that looked like a football. The image was captured back in 2024.

At the moment, the US Department of War has released a total of 161 files. However, the Department of Defense is expected to release more. Back in February, the former POTUS Barack Obama had stated in an interview that aliens were “real, but I haven’t seen them.”

This image captures a sighting from North America captured in 2026, which was reported by the U.S. Army.

The recently declassified files consist of military memos, individual reports, and even instances from the Apollo moon mission. All these documents record instances where people claim to have come across mysterious objects with possible links to extraterrestrial civilizations.

This is an infrared image of an unidentified object. It was spotted in September 2025 over the Western United States.

The release of the declassified files has received some positive responses. For example, Tennessee Republican and Congressman Tim Burchett welcomed the government’s decision, terming it as a ‘great start’ on X. Fellow Republican Anna Paulina Luna, too, termed the release of the files as “a massive first step in the right direction.”

This actual site photo with FBI Lab Graphic Overlay depicts an ellipsoid bronze metallic object. This object, dating back to 2023, was reportedly corroborated by eye-witness testimony, which claimed that an ellipsoid metallic object materialized out of a bright light in the sky before disappearing.

About a month ago, President Donald Trump had hinted that the Department of Defense would soon release some “very interesting documents.”

This is an infrared image of an unidentified object spotted over the Western United States in September 2025. The object was spotted below a helicopter, also captured in the image.

The files released by the Pentagon also do not claim that the US government has come in contact with any sort of alien life. Furthermore, it also points out that none of the incidents mentioned in the files conclude that alien beings from other planets have ever visited the Earth.

The file reportedly includes investigative records, eyewitness testimonials, and reports of public sightings of unidentified flying objects and flying discs between June 1947 and July 1968. 

With over 400 sightings recorded from all over the world, the incidents have quite an expansive timeline. While some alleged sightings are from last year, there are incidents that date back to the 1940s.

This image is another infrared shot of an unidentified object spotted over the Western United States. This was spotted in December 2025.

While the volume of files released is impressive, most of the videos that were taken by the U.S. military using infrared sensors are grainy, showing barely discernible points of light and unusually shaped objects.

Similar to the previous sighting, this, too, is a record from December 2025. It is an infrared image of an identified object over the Western US. 

While the government has created quite a buzz with its recent release, the public must be mindful of the conclusions they draw. The files can be found on https://www.war.gov/UFO/.