Misshapen White Light Over Syria, October 2024

Brief

During a 20-hour, 24-minute ISR mission over Syria on 20 October 2024, a USAF special operations asset observed a UAP between 1559Z and 1644Z while orbiting at 20,088 feet at 144 knots. The reporting E-4 described a 'MISHAPEN AND UNEVEN BALL OF WHITE LIGHT' producing multiple light/glare events from unknown origin crossing the FMV camera feed at discrete timestamps, with a halo effect noted at the top of the feed at 1609Z and 1620Z. The official MISREP form categorized the UAP's physical state as 'Plasma,' propulsion unknown, with no intelligent control, no effects on persons or equipment, and no interrogation attempted. The aircrew explicitly ruled out a lasing event and logged the phenomenon as benign.

Metadata

Agency

Department of War

Release

5/8/26

Incident

10/20/24

Location

Syria

Type

PDF • .pdf

Length

10 pages

Classification

SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY

Programs

INHERENT RESOLVE

Tags

white light ball, plasma, light/glare halo, FMV camera, Syria, 2024, INHERENT RESOLVE, AFSOC ISR, unknown origin

Key points

• UAP observed from 1559Z to 1644Z on 20 October 2024 at grid 37SFU36, while the aircraft orbited at 20,088 ft and 144 knots.p.7
• UAP physical state formally recorded in the MISREP form as 'Plasma'; propulsion listed as 'UNKNOWN'; intelligent control assessed as 'NO'.p.8
• UAP description entered into the form: 'MISHAPEN AND UNEVEN BALL OF WHITE LIGHT,' with multiple discrete light/glare crossings of the FMV camera at 1559Z, 1602Z, 1609Z, 1620Z, and 1644Z.p.9
• A 'LIGHT/GLARE HALO EFFECT' was specifically noted at the top of the FMV feed at 1609Z and 1620Z, distinct from direct camera crossings at other timestamps.p.9
• Aircrew explicitly assessed the event was not a lasing event; observer engagement and interrogation of the UAP were both recorded as 'NO'.p.8
• The UAP maneuverability observations field logged: 'LIGHT/GLARE FLASHED OF UNK ORIGIN FLASHED ACCROSS FMV CAMERA FEED,' with UAP response to observer actions recorded as 'NO CHANGE'.p.7
• FMV footage of the mission was exploited by GET (Ground Exploitation Team); the ISR mission also included SIGINT collection across three separate taskings.p.1
• Document was classified SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY and declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff, on 24 October 2025.p.1

Verbatim

• MISHAPEN AND UNEVEN BALL OF WHITE LIGHT.

  p.9

• FROM 1559Z-1644Z, (b)(1)1.4a OBSERVED MULTIPLE GLARES OR LIGHT FROM UNKNOWN ORIGIN AT DIFFERENT ANGLES AND DIRECTIONS.

  p.9

• AT 1609Z AND 1620Z, (b)(1)1.4a OBSERVED A LIGHT/GLARE HALO EFFECT AT THE TOP OF (b)(1)1.4a FMV FEED.

  p.9

• AIRCREW CONSIDERED THIS NO MISSION IMPACT OR CHANGE AND UAP WAS BENIGN.

  p.9

• LIGHT/GLARE FROM UNKNOWN ORIGIN FLASHED ACCROSS FMV CAMERA FEED. AIRCREW ASSESSED THIS NOT TO BE A LASING EVENT.

  p.8

• LIGHT/GLARE FLASHED OF UNK ORIGIN FLASHED ACCROSS FMV CAMERA FEED

  p.7

• FROM 1559Z-1644Z, OBSERVED UAP ACTIVITY (SEE UAP 1).

  p.6

Most interesting

• The original MISREP contains a misspelling of 'AERIAL' as 'ARRIEAL' on page 1 ('OBSERVED AN UNIDENTIFIED ARRIEAL PHENOMENON'), preserved verbatim in the release.
• The formal UAP physical state field in the standardized MISREP form was populated with 'Plasma' — a defined category within the reporting schema, not a freehand characterization.
• Five discrete light events were timestamped within the 45-minute observation window: 1559Z, 1602Z, 1609Z, 1620Z, and 1644Z, suggesting a recurring rather than singular phenomenon.
• The UAP was observed while the asset was conducting a stop-follow on a single individual described as 'ADM IN TRAD WEAR ON MOTO,' meaning the ISR platform was already engaged in active surveillance of a ground target.
• No kinetic data — altitude, velocity, trajectory — was measured or estimated for the UAP; all corresponding fields were left blank or marked 'Estimated' with null values.
• The entire 20-hour, 24-minute mission launched and recovered at OJMS (Queen Alia International Airport / Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan), placing the operating base outside Syria.
• The MISREP was filed by 12 SOS (Special Operations Squadron), 27 SOW (Special Operations Wing), under AFSOC — indicating the ISR platform was a special operations asset, not a conventional reconnaissance aircraft.