Overview

• Rep. Eric Burlison presented never-before-seen MQ-9 footage from Oct. 30, 2024, showing a Hellfire striking a bright orb off Yemen.
• Burlison said a second Reaper fired the missile and that the whistleblower-supplied video is undergoing independent review.
• The imagery shows the object deforming and tumbling with faint debris as it continues on, with no confirmed explanation.
• A Defense Department spokesperson declined to verify the video’s authenticity or circumstances; AARO maintains it has found no evidence of extraterrestrial technology.
• At a hearing focused on UAP transparency and whistleblower protection, witnesses including George Knapp and former service members urged declassification and cited additional unreleased videos in the context of U.S. operations against Houthi threats.