Did a UFO/UAP Split a Missile in Half?

The Mystery Orb: When a Hellfire Missile Meets the Unknown

In the annals of modern history, few events blend the realms of military might, congressional intrigue, and the enigmatic unknown quite like the incident captured in a recently declassified video from October 30, 2024. This footage, unveiled during a high-stakes congressional hearing on September 9, 2025, depicts a U.S. military drone engaging what appears to be an unidentified anomalous phenomenon—or UAP, the Pentagon's preferred term for what many still call UFOs—with a Hellfire missile. The result? The missile strikes the object, yet the mysterious craft survives unscathed, continuing its flight as if nothing happened. This isn't just a grainy snapshot from a sci-fi thriller; it's a real-world puzzle that has reignited debates about national security, advanced technology, and the very possibility of intelligent life beyond our planet.

As someone who's followed the evolving discourse on UAPs for years, I find this video particularly compelling. It challenges our assumptions about what we know, what we think we know, and what might lurk just beyond the edge of human comprehension. In this blog post, we'll dive deep into the details of what happened, explore possible explanations for the orb's resilience, question the logic behind firing on an unidentified target, and examine the profound implications for religion—especially if this points to extraterrestrial intelligence. By the end, you'll see why this isn't merely a military mishap but a catalyst for rethinking our place in the cosmos.

 The Incident: A Drone's Deadly Encounter Off Yemen

To understand the gravity of this event, we need to set the scene. On October 30, 2024, the waters off the coast of Yemen were a hotbed of tension. U.S. Navy ships and aircraft were deployed in the Red Sea to safeguard commercial shipping lanes from Houthi militants backed by Iran. The Houthis had been launching missiles and drones at vessels since late 2023, turning the region into an active combat zone. It was amid this chaos that an MQ-9 Reaper drone—a workhorse of unmanned aerial surveillance and strike capabilities—locked onto an unusual object.

The video in question, captured from the perspective of one Reaper drone, shows a fast-moving, bright, orb-like object skimming above the waves in a straight line. Described by Congressman Eric Burlison of Missouri as a "shiny orb," it appears to be traveling at high speed, evading easy classification. As the footage plays, a second MQ-9 Reaper, not visible in the clip, receives authorization to engage. A Hellfire missile— the AGM-114, a precision-guided weapon weighing about 100 pounds and designed to obliterate tanks and fortifications—is launched. The missile streaks into view from the left side of the screen, making direct contact with the orb.

What happens next defies expectations. Instead of exploding on impact and destroying the target, the missile seems to bounce off or fragment upon hitting the object. The orb deforms momentarily, tumbles slightly, and sheds some smaller fragments—one of which is faintly visible trailing behind. Remarkably, it then stabilizes and resumes its original path, accelerating away at an astonishing speed. The entire sequence unfolds in black-and-white infrared footage, lasting about 50 seconds, but its implications echo far longer.

This video was first made public during the third congressional hearing on UAPs since 2023, held by the House Oversight Committee's Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets. Chaired by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, the hearing titled "Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency and Whistleblower Protection" featured testimony from military veterans and experts. Burlison, a staunch advocate for government transparency on UAP matters, presented the footage, stating it came from a whistleblower source and is now under independent review. He emphasized, "That's the Hellfire missile smacking into that UFO and just bouncing right off. And it kept going."

Witnesses at the hearing, including U.S. Air Force veteran Jeffrey Nuccetelli, Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Alexandro Wiggins, and Air Force veteran Dylan Borland, shared their own encounters with UAPs. They testified under oath that no known U.S. technology could withstand a direct Hellfire hit. Rep. Luna pressed them: "Are you aware of anything in the U.S. arsenal that can split a Hellfire missile like this…and do whatever blob thing it did, and then keep going?" Their unanimous response: No. The hearing also touched on broader issues, like a 2023 incident where Wiggins aboard the USS Jackson witnessed "Tic Tac"-shaped objects emerging from the ocean, and reports of UAPs interfering with nuclear sites.

The Pentagon's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), established in 2022, has been tracking UAP reports, with over 750 new sightings logged between May 2023 and June 2024. Many are mundane—balloons, birds, or drones—but a fraction remain unexplained, including instances where objects shadowed U.S. aircraft. This Yemen incident stands out because it's not just a sighting; it's an engagement. The footage's release marks a pivotal moment in UAP disclosure, shifting from passive observation to active confrontation.

 Possible Causes: From Foreign Tech to the Extraterrestrial

So, what could this orb be? The video raises more questions than answers, but let's explore the spectrum of possible explanations, grounded in what we know from military experts, scientists, and the footage itself.

First, the prosaic explanations. Skeptics might argue it's a misidentification. The object could be a Houthi drone or decoy, perhaps coated in reflective material to mimic an orb in infrared. The Red Sea theater saw frequent use of Iranian-supplied Shahed-136 drones by the Houthis, which are low-observable and could appear anomalous on radar. A glancing blow from the Hellfire—due to a targeting error or the missile's failure to detonate—might explain the "bounce." Hellfire missiles have a warhead that should explode on impact, but malfunctions occur; perhaps the fuse didn't trigger, causing it to ricochet off a hardened surface. Debris shedding could be parts of the drone breaking off from kinetic force alone.

Another angle: advanced foreign adversary technology. China and Russia have invested heavily in hypersonic and stealth drones. The orb's speed and resilience suggest materials like advanced composites or metamaterials that deflect or absorb impacts. Witnesses testified that no U.S. tech matches this, but adversaries might. During the hearing, journalist George Knapp noted, "We've never seen a Hellfire missile hit a target and bounce off." Former Pentagon official Lue Elizondo echoed this, saying the missile was either "redirected or glanced off." If it's Russian or Chinese, it implies a capability gap, explaining the urgency to engage.

But what if it's not human-made? Enter the extraterrestrial hypothesis. Proponents point to the orb's behavior: straight-line flight over water, sudden acceleration post-impact, and immunity to a weapon that can "defeat any known tank." UAP researcher Jeremy Corbell, commenting on the hearing, described how the object "peeled off from the main craft and kept flying after the failed shoot-down." This aligns with historical UAP patterns, like the 2004 USS Nimitz "Tic Tac" incident, where objects demonstrated transmedium capabilities (air to water) and physics-defying maneuvers. If intelligent extraterrestrial life exists, this could be a probe or scout craft, using propulsion systems beyond our electromagnetic spectrum—perhaps antigravity or plasma-based tech that creates a force field.

Biological or natural phenomena are less likely but worth considering. Could it be a rare atmospheric plasma or bioluminescent entity? Infrared can pick up heat signatures from unusual sources, but the structured flight path argues against randomness. Optical illusions from drone cameras are possible, but multiple Reapers tracking it suggests solidity.

Independent analysis is ongoing, as Burlison noted. Enhanced versions of the video show the missile fragmenting and the orb "blobbing" before reforming—behaviors not typical of conventional drones. Whatever the cause, this incident underscores a vulnerability: U.S. forces in a combat zone fired on something unknown, with unpredictable results.

 Skepticism: Why Waste a Missile on the Unidentified?

One of the most perplexing aspects is the decision to fire. Why would the U.S. military expend a $150,000 Hellfire on an unidentified object in a war zone? Skepticism here is warranted, and it boils down to rules of engagement (ROE), threat assessment, and operational pressures.

In active combat like the Red Sea operations, ROE allow engagement of perceived threats to protect assets. The Houthis' drone swarms had sunk ships and killed sailors; any fast-moving object over protected lanes could be deemed hostile. The Reaper's sensors locked on—likely radar, infrared, and electro-optical—registering it as a solid, heat-emitting target. Authorization came swiftly, suggesting commanders viewed it as an imminent danger, perhaps mistaking it for a Houthi kamikaze drone.

But critics argue this was reckless. Firing without positive identification risks escalation, friendly fire, or wasting resources. If it's a UAP—not adversarial—why not observe or jam instead? Elizondo, in post-hearing comments, highlighted the destructiveness: "When a Hellfire makes a hit... there's usually not much left." The fact that it "bounced" implies the target wasn't what they thought, raising questions about intelligence failures. Was there rushed analysis amid Houthi attacks? Or pressure from higher-ups to neutralize unknowns?

Skeptics like those on Reddit's r/UFO forum point out the video's blurriness: "More blurry black and white videos... Is this really the best evidence?" They question if it's hype to push transparency agendas. Burlison's whistleblower source adds intrigue—leaks suggest internal cover-ups, but why engage if unidentified? Perhaps protocol mandates it: In Yemen, unidentified aerials were presumed threats. The ramifications? It exposes gaps in detection tech; if UAPs are real, missiles may be obsolete. This "waste" might stem from a doctrine of caution, but it fuels demands for better protocols, as Luna stated: "American people deserve maximum transparency."

Ultimately, the skepticism highlights a deeper issue: In an era of asymmetric warfare, distinguishing friend, foe, or other is harder than ever. Shooting first might be defensive, but it risks confirming vulnerabilities to the world.

 Why Did They Shoot? Protocols, Panic, and the Fog of War

Delving deeper into the "why," the decision to fire reveals layers of military doctrine and human factors. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) rules in the Red Sea emphasized proactive defense. The Reaper's pilot, likely remote in Nevada, followed a checklist: Identify, assess threat level, request ROE clearance. The orb's trajectory—straight toward shipping lanes—triggered alarms. Speed and altitude matched drone profiles; infrared showed a heat signature consistent with propulsion.

Authorization likely came from a joint task force, greenlit because hesitation could cost lives. As Borland testified, UAPs have shadowed aircraft before; in combat, unknowns become threats. Panic? Possibly—Houthi attacks peaked in October 2024. But protocol drove it: The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act mandates reporting UAPs, yet engagement falls under existing ROE.

Critics see waste: Hellfires cost more than the targets they hit. If unidentified, why not electronic warfare? Answer: EW might not stop a kamikaze. This incident, per the hearing, is part of a pattern; AARO reports three cases of UAPs near military ops. They shot because, in war's fog, caution means survival. It underscores the need for UAP-specific protocols—perhaps non-lethal first.

 Ramifications for Religion: If Intelligent Life Exists Elsewhere

If this orb hints at extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI), the religious implications are seismic. For Christianity, particularly Catholicism—the world's largest denomination—the discovery wouldn't shatter faith but would demand reevaluation. The Church has long pondered ETI, viewing it not as a threat but an expansion of God's creation.

Catholic teaching holds that God is infinite and creative, as seen in Genesis: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Scripture doesn't preclude other worlds; Psalm 8 marvels at humanity's place amid the stars, but doesn't claim exclusivity. Theologians like St. Thomas Aquinas speculated on multiple worlds, though medieval views were limited by science. Today, the Church embraces cosmology: Vatican astronomers like Brother Guy Consolmagno argue ETI would affirm God's vastness. In his book Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial?, Consolmagno posits any intelligent being has a soul, meriting baptism if desired.

Popes have weighed in. St. John Paul II, asked about aliens, replied, "Always remember: They are children of God as we are." Pope Francis quipped he'd baptize aliens "if they asked." St. Paul VI saw a "universal Church" including ETI. The 2021 statement from the Society of Catholic Scientists affirms: The Church can accommodate ETI without contradicting Tradition.

But ramifications abound. First, anthropology: Humans are made in God's image (imago Dei), with rational souls. ETI might share this, implying multiple incarnations? No—most theologians say Christ's redemption is universal, applying via analogy, like unbaptized humans saved by desire. Gaudium et Spes states Christ "united Himself with every man," extendable to ETI. Salvation wouldn't require multiple crucifixions; God's grace transcends planets.

Ethically, ETI could challenge anthropocentrism. If advanced, they might evangelize us—or vice versa. Demonic deception? Some, like Fr. Thomas Weinandy, warn UFO encounters mimic diabolical illusions, paralleling abduction stories. Yet, the Church urges discernment: Science first, faith second.

Broader religion: Protestant denominations vary; some see ETI as end-times signs. Islam views jinn as otherworldly intelligences. Judaism's Kabbalah allows multiple creations. Overall, discovery could unite faiths in awe or spark schisms if ETI lack religion—proving universal sin? Or foster dialogue, as Consolmagno suggests: "The truth is out there... God is among us."

For Catholicism, it's an opportunity. As Paul Thigpen notes in Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the Catholic Faith, it deepens understanding of creation, Incarnation, and eschatology. Heaven includes "every knee shall bow" (Philippians 2:10)—perhaps Martian knees too. Far from crisis, ETI would glorify God's omnipotence, reminding us we're not alone, but part of a grander tapestry.

In conclusion, this video isn't just about a missile and an orb; it's a portal to profound questions. Whether foreign drone, advanced tech, or alien visitor, it demands transparency and wisdom. For believers, it invites wonder at the Creator. As we gaze at the stars, let's hope future hearings bring clarity—and perhaps, contact that unites rather than divides.

 Sources

 Video and Incident Reports

- ABC News: "Congressman shows never-before-seen video at military UFO hearing" (September 10, 2025).

- TMZ: "Video Shows UFO Get Hit by Hellfire Missile, Continues Flying Unobstructed" (September 9, 2025).

- BBC News: "Video of US missile fired at mystery orb shown at UFO hearing" (September 9, 2025).

- Yahoo News: "Video released in congressional hearing shows mystery aircraft survive missile hit" (September 9, 2025).

- Fox News: "UAP survives Hellfire missile strike in House hearing video evidence" (September 9, 2025).

- NBC News: "Video shown at House UAP hearing appears to show missile fired at object near Yemen" (September 10, 2025).

- USA Today: "UFO hearing video shows Hellfire missile fired at mysterious orb" (September 10, 2025).

- Newsweek: "Declassified Video Shows US Trying to Shoot Down UFO" (September 10, 2025).

- The Economic Times: "UFO Hearing: Bombshell video shows US military’s missile bounce off UAP in stunning new footage" (September 9, 2025).

- CBS News: "Newly released video at House UFO hearing appears to show U.S. missile striking and bouncing off orb" (September 10, 2025).

- Daily Mail: "Bombshell new video shows US military's direct hit on glowing UFO with hellfire missile" (September 9, 2025).

- Reddit r/UFO: "New video shows US military's direct hit on glowing UFO with hellfire missile" (September 9, 2025).

- LiveMint: "Shocking UAP video revealed in Congress: US missile fails to destroy mysterious flying object in Yemen" (September 10, 2025).

- The War Zone (TWZ): "Revelation That MQ-9 Reapers Are Now Engaging Aerial Targets Comes From UAP Hearing" (September 9, 2025).

 Catholic Church Teachings on Extraterrestrial Life

- Church Life Journal (University of Notre Dame): "What Can Catholic Theology Say About Extraterrestrials?" by Christopher Baglow.

- Church Life Journal: "A Very Short Introduction to the History of Catholic Debates About the Multiverse and Extraterrestrial Intelligence."

- Reddit r/Catholicism: "How would the Catholic Church as a whole react if Aliens were real/existed..." (May 14, 2024).

- The Society of Catholic Scientists: "Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the Catholic Faith: A Brief History of an Ancient Conversation" (April 24, 2024).

- Catholic Answers: "What's the Catholic position on the existence of Aliens?" (January 11, 2022).

- Catholic Answers Magazine: "Aliens and the Catholic Church" (December 3, 2024).

- National Catholic Register: "Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the Catholic Faith" (July 23, 2022).

- Gulf Coast Catholic: "Is There Life Out There?" (July 19, 2022).

- U.S. Catholic: "Do Catholics believe in life on other planets?" (April 5, 2021).

- Reddit r/Catholicism: "What’s the Churches stance of possible alien life?" (June 9, 2023).

- Ascension Press Media: "A Catholic Response to the Extraterrestrial Question" (June 14, 2017; updated September 13, 2023).

- Amazon/TAN Books: "Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the Catholic Faith: Are We Alone in the Universe with God and the Angels?" by Paul Thigpen.

- The Catholic Thing: "Of Jesus and Aliens" by Fr. Thomas G. Weinandy (July 16, 2023).

- Crux: "Could Catholicism handle the discovery of extraterrestrial life?" (February 23, 2017).