New UFO files released by US including reports of glowing red orbs

US officials have released another batch of classified files related to UFO sightings, including reports of glowing, red orbs seen in northeastern America.

Friday's publication of what the Pentagon calls unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) involves ‌72 files from the FBI, CIA and Pentagon and includes testimony, videos and artistic depictions.

Some of the UFO files date back to the 1940s and relate not just to the US, but also to parts of the rest of the world. The first ‌two batches of files were made public on 8 May and 22 May.

Reports from ​several entries refer to sphere or orb sightings in the same general US location.

One partly redacted file from February cites FBI interviews with two people who ​reported seeing an intense, bright light in the middle ⁠of their backyard one evening.

One person "described the red colour as being brilliant and beautiful, and ‌that [redacted] had never seen anything that color of red before," according to the FBI report.

The red sphere, about 3ft wide, contained a "white plasma ‌sun" the size of a basketball in its centre, it said.

The people noticed a second orb and the two appeared tethered together as they moved away.

They also reported seeing several white orbs a few weeks later flying over the house at ⁠a much higher altitude, the FBI report said.

A similar interview ​in July 2025 referred to previous reports of orbs.

"This ​observation occurred within 25 miles of the 'Triangle Orbs', 'Red Orb Rotation', and 'Orbs ​Over the Pond' sightings at a location well known to them, which ⁠is sparsely populated," the FBI report said.

An October 2024 incident describes a light source below the horizon, hovering above a pond.

"The luminous object resembled a 'plasma-like sphere' intermittently changing ⁠shape and luminosity. At times, the primary light ​source appeared to separate into smaller luminous points," according to the report.

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A July 2008 sighting of a suspected UFO was also recorded at Zimbabwe's Harare International Airport.

"Individuals debated if the sighting was an advanced reconnaissance device of a foreign government or of extraterrestrial origins," a CIA report reads.

"At one point during observation, 'beams' were observed emanating from the object," it added.

The oldest files in this batch date back to the 1940s.

One from the Defense Department is an "Evaluation Study of the Phenomenon (Flying Saucers)" from June 1946.

"Of some 210 incidents, 20 % have been explained," it says. "No tangible evidence which would support a theory that any incidents are attributable to activity of a foreign nation."

But it does not appear to rule out that any of these incidents are attributable to somebody from a foreign planet.

Regarding Friday's release, Pentagon chief ‌Pete Hegseth said in a statement: "These ​files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled speculation - and it's time the American people see it for themselves."

(c) Sky News 2026: New UFO files released by US including reports of glowing red orbs