US MQ-9 Reaper Launches a Missile Against an Unidentified Object

An unpublished video, made public by Republican Representative Eric Burlison during a US Congress hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), shows an American MQ-9 Reaper attempting to shoot down an unidentified object with an AGM-114 Hellfire missile off the coast of Yemen.

The footage, dated October 30th, 2024, captures the weapon striking the target without detonating: some fragments fall off, but the object continues its route undisturbed. This incident represents a significant precedent not so much for the air-to-air usage of Reapers, already tested in the past, but for the decision to open fire against an ‘object’ of unclear nature.

Implications of the Engagement Rules

If the object was not conclusively identified, it’s unclear on what basis the decision to engage it was made. At that time, the region was the scene of intense attacks from Houthi rebels with missiles and drones against western merchant ships and military assets, and the Reapers were deployed daily in surveillance and attack missions.

It’s plausible that commanders assessed the object as a potential immediate threat to US or allied naval units, deciding for proactive neutralization. However, the lack of clarity about the target’s true identity raises questions about the Pentagon’s engagement rules in situations of operational uncertainty.

UAPs, Drones or Balloons?

The images show an object of vague shape, at times spherical, at times cylindrical. It could be a low-altitude kamikaze drone, a surveillance balloon or something else entirely. The video quality doesn’t allow for a precise determination.

This fuels the ongoing debate in the United States about how often phenomena labeled as UAPs could in fact be conventional systems: drones, aircraft, missiles or simply balloons.

A Matter of Transparency


Burlison emphasized that the material comes from a whistleblower and that an independent investigation is underway, but he also accused the administration and the Pentagon of systematic obstruction on the dissemination of information related to UAPs.

This Yemen incident adds to other episodes still unexplained, such as the shooting down of three unidentified objects over the skies of the United States and Canada in 2023, of which the Pentagon has not yet released any official image.

The video does not clarify the nature of the struck object, but highlights a central aspect for the lawmakers of Capitol Hill: The United States authorized the use of force against an unidentified target, accepting the risk of engaging with something of unknown origin and nature.