Jellyfish UAP Video (Iraq)
In 2018, U.S. military personnel recorded an anomalous object using forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensors above a military installation in Iraq. The footage shows a translucent, jellyfish-shaped object moving deliberately over terrain before apparently descending toward and submerging in a body of water. Investigative journalist Jeremy Corbell published the video, stating the Department of Defense had internally classified the object as a UAP. Skeptics have proposed the parallax effect of the camera platform as a possible explanation for the apparent movement. Proponents counter that the thermal signature, corroborating witness accounts, and the object's controlled descent trajectory argue against conventional explanations.
Background
In October 2017, US military personnel at Al Taqaddum Air Base in Iraq captured video of an unusual object dubbed the Jellyfish UAP due to its amorphous, translucent appearance resembling a jellyfish. The footage, recorded using military thermal imaging equipment aboard a force protection aerostat, shows the object moving steadily through the air without any visible propulsion mechanism, wings, or conventional flight surfaces.
The Incident
Date and Location:
- Captured in October 2017 at Al Taqaddum Air Base, west of Baghdad, Iraq
- Recorded by an infrared sensor on a force protection aerostat over Lake Habbaniyah in Anbar Province
- Total footage duration: 17 minutes
Object Characteristics:
- Amorphous, translucent appearance resembling a jellyfish with dangling tendrils
- Visible only on infrared thermal imaging
- Moved at a steady, consistent velocity
- No visible propulsion mechanism, wings, or conventional flight surfaces
- Unprecedented morphology compared to typical UAP reports (tic-tac, sphere, or triangle shapes)
Witness Accounts
Marine Personnel:
- Michael Cincoski, a Marine tactical controller, arrived at the base in 2018 and was shown the video by colleagues
- Marines stationed at the base nicknamed the object the "Spaghetti Monster" when they began observing it
- Personnel did not perceive the object as an immediate threat
- The full 17-minute video was known among base personnel
Public Release and Investigation
Release Timeline:
- Video was leaked to investigative journalist and filmmaker Jeremy Corbell
- Publicly released in January 2024 via social media platforms
- The Department of Defense confirmed the footage's authenticity
Official Assessment:
- The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) assessed that the object was a cluster of partially and fully inflated balloons
- AARO determined the object's appearance is consistent with other recorded observations of balloon clusters
- Analysis employed full-motion video analysis and pixel examination techniques
- AARO assessed the object did not demonstrate anomalous performance characteristics
- Geo-locational data from the aerostat was used to assess the object's speed and direction of travel
Significance
- Became one of the most discussed pieces of military UAP footage
- Represents high-quality, close-range thermal imaging evidence
- Generated significant public interest and debate within UFO research communities
- Demonstrates the challenge of interpreting ambiguous sensor data and eyewitness accounts