Nov 14, 2023
Written By [Christopher Sharp](https://www.liberationtimes.com/?author=610434e320e3e945538177b1)
_The alleged drone engaged over Syria by the RAF in December 2021 and later classified as UAP by a Five Eyes Intelligence Report. Photographer unknown. Image courtesy of WEAPONIZED._
Written by [Christopher Sharp](https://twitter.com/RealCSharp) \- 14 November 2023
In 2021, the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) intercepted an object initially flagged as a potential terrorist drone above Syria.
However, a Five Eyes intelligence report generated months following the event classified the object as a UFO or ‘Unidentified Aerial Phenomena’ (UAP).
This new revelation was reported by investigative journalists Jeremy Corbell and George Knapp on their podcast WEAPONIZED.
SHOOT THEM DOWN! Military Uses Lethal Force against UFOs : WEAPONIZED : EP #41 – YouTube
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[SHOOT THEM DOWN! Military Uses Lethal Force against UFOs : WEAPONIZED : EP #41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6LyHl559qo) [Jeremy Corbell](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkgPT7LeB_t1aXTYyMiFVAg)
Jeremy Corbell397K subscribers
Corbell and Knapp, who were exposed to the document, shared both an image and pertinent details of the incident. The image is black and white taken from the air showing a small object – Knapp commented that it didn’t look like any drone he had seen and almost resembled a “mushroom cloud”.
The alleged drone, which was classified as UAP within a Five Eyes Intelligence report
In December 2021, the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) classified the object, referred to by Corbell as a ‘dome-shaped UAP’ as a ‘small hostile drone.’
According to Corbell, the Five Eyes report was published months after the incident occurred and indicates that on 14 December 2021, an RAF Typhoon jet shot at one UAP using an ASRAAM missile. At the time, the incident was reported as the first enemy aircraft shot down by the RAF since the Falklands War in Argentina more than 40 years ago.
Although an [RAF press release in December 2021](https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/raf-typhoon-destroys-terrorist-drone-in-syria/) stated that the craft was brought down and destroyed, Corbell noted that the Five Eyes report does not explicitly state that the craft, identified as a UAP, was downed or destroyed.
Reporting on the story in December 2021, [the BBC noted](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59615769) that the MOD ‘did not say which hostile group was operating the drone’, despite the RAF later characterising it as a terrorist drone.
Speaking on that apparent discrepancy, Corbell told Liberation Times:
‘The Five Eyes report, which was published months after the incident was reported by the press, explicitly states this is a UAP, not a drone. Also, the report states that the UAP was shot at but does not state it was downed or destroyed, as the MOD claims.’
According to Corbell, the Five Eyes intelligence report, dedicated to the issue of UAPs, reveals that the United States Air Force (USAF), UK RAF, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and the militaries of Russia and Syria are encountering UAPs with an increased frequency over the skies of Syria and Iraq.
“The engagement took place on 14 December when the drone activity was detected above the Al Tanf Coalition base in Syria,” said the [MOD](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/update-air-strikes-against-daesh). “RAF Typhoons conducting routine patrols in the area were tasked to investigate.”
The same base had previously been attacked by drones in October 2021, which [according to two unnamed U.S. officials](https://www.voanews.com/a/official-tells-voa-iran-believed-behind-attack-on-us-troops-in-syria/6285852.html) originated from Iranian-backed militants. Also, in August 2022 it was reported that drones had [attacked](https://en.mehrnews.com/news/190746/Drone-attack-on-Syria-army-base-leaves-1-killed-2-injured) the [U.S. Al Tanf base](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/08/16/drone-strikes-at-us-military-base-in-syrias-al-tanf-reiterate-its-dubious-role/) in Syria in addition to [attacking a Syrian military base](https://en.mehrnews.com/news/190746/Drone-attack-on-Syria-army-base-leaves-1-killed-2-injured), leaving one killed and two injured.
Following recent hostilities between Hamas and Israel, U.S. forces in the region have been attacked with drones or rockets by Iranian-backed groups at least 38 times in less than a month, according to the Pentagon. Such attacks have resulted in casualties.
Why there was a discrepancy between the story released by the RAF and the Five Eyes report is unclear, as Corbell notes:
‘The RAF has clearly stated this was a hostile drone, which it may have been. But if that is the case, why was it labelled a UAP in internal documents? Furthermore, why were the operators of the craft never confirmed?’
The MOD’s stance on UAPs otherwise referred to as UFOs is as follows:
‘The MOD has no opinion on the existence of extra-terrestrial life and no longer investigates reports of sightings of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena or Unidentified Flying Objects. This is because, in over 50 years no such reporting to the Department indicated the existence of any military threat to the UK, and it was deemed more valuable to prioritise MOD staff resources towards other Defence-related activities.’
It is important to note the U.S. DoD refers to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena as objects that are not immediately identifiable – meaning many will inevitably most likely be attributable to objects such as drones or balloons.
Talking about the UK’s stance, Corbell told Liberation Times:
‘The MOD is a puzzling contradiction on this matter; not only does the department not investigate UAP cases, but it has also stated that no reports of UAP indicate the existence of any military threat to the UK. If the documents I have been exposed to are accurate, then the UK’s current position regarding UAP is no longer sustainable.’
Corbell told Liberation Times that the Five Eyes report was generated due to concerns arising from an increased frequency and a lack of mandate to address UAP intrusions where troops are stationed.
Corbell noted that United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has been dealing with this issue for 15 years and that an alarming uptick in sightings since 2021 is causing frustration among U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) insiders due to a lack of authority to deal with intrusions within the proximity of coalition forces.
Corbell told Liberation Times that sources familiar with the report said that U.S. forces had tracked UAPs travelling over coalition force bases around the region.
Corbell added that UAPs have been reported through ground radars, cameras, and military aircraft using a variety of methods, including visual contact, radar, infrared, and electro-optical sensors.
It is not understood why the intelligence report was unable to attribute the object engaged by the RAF to Daesh or other regional actors, such as Hezbollah.
Corbell commented:
‘Whether they are prosaic or not, this presents a huge risk to Coalition Forces. It has reached a point where internal intelligence reports are now being written to warn our allies about UAPs. I know for a fact that due to the abundance of sightings, some Base Defense Operation Centers are no longer reporting UAPs, which makes the tracking or characterization of events hu
*[Read full article at Liberation Times]*