Testimony and reports have brought UFO sightings across the country into the spotlight amid growing national attention on apparent drone activity in recent weeks. Luis Elizondo, the former head of the Defense Department’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, along with other witnesses, testified before Congress last month, alleging the existence of a secret government group that has been “hiding the fact that we are not alone in the cosmos.”
“I believe that we as Americans can handle the truth. And I also believe the world deserves the truth,” Elizondo said, urging Congress to enact legislation protecting whistleblowers too afraid to come forward, Fox News reported. The hearing was part of a broader initiative by lawmakers to investigate unidentified flying objects (UFOs), also known as unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), and to determine whether certain elements within the government are unlawfully withholding evidence from Congress.
At the same time, UFO sightings have been reported in every U.S. state, according to the National UFO Reporting Center, which maintains the largest independent database of UFO/UAP sighting reports online. They include scores of “mystery drone” sightings in the Northeast, particularly in New Jersey, over the past month. Meanwhile, a military-trained observer reported an unusual experience while camping alone in Mountain Center, California, in October.
According to the UFO reporting site, he described how all natural outdoor sounds abruptly ceased, and the entire area was suddenly “lit up brighter than the brightest full moon he’d ever seen.” The man reported seeing a bright, white oval light approximately 20 to 30 feet long, hovering at treetop level. He noted that the light was completely still and silent, emitted no heat, and resembled the shape of a large helicopter, Fox News reported.
Several pilots recently reported spotting three or four UFOs flying at various altitudes over Oregon, according to KPTV. The sightings included unusual red circular lights darting around the night sky. A United Airlines pilot even contacted the control tower to report the moving lights observed over western Oregon, the outlet noted. In April 2022, a witness in Connecticut reported seeing a light in the sky above a reservoir, suspecting it might be an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP/UFO), as reported by NewsNation. “I’m always a sky watcher, so I was wondering if it was a plane,” the woman told the outlet. “But the way it was moving, there’s no way it was a plane.”
Although recent sightings of drones or mysterious aircraft are not strictly classified as UFO observations, they have raised significant concerns and drawn the attention of the FBI. These incidents have reignited discussions about the potential presence of other unidentified flying objects in the skies. “The FBI Newark, NJ State Police, and NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness are asking for the public to report any information related to the recent sightings of possible drones flying in several areas along the Raritan River,” a Dec. 3 FBI statement noted.
Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued temporary flight restrictions that will remain in effect until January 17, 2025. These restrictions prohibit drone flights over certain areas of New Jersey due to a recent increase in sightings. However, the ban does not apply to drone operations that support national defense, homeland security, law enforcement, firefighting, search and rescue, or disaster response missions, Fox noted.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.