Did China shoot down a UFO with a missile?

A luminous, fireball-like event was observed over eastern China on the night of September 12, sparking speculation and widespread debate on social media.

The phenomenon was reported between 8:45pm and 9:02pm local time (12:45–13:02 UTC).

Residents in Weifang and Rizhao, Shandong Province, described seeing a bright object streak across the sky followed by a flash. Several videos circulated online, quickly drawing attention.

Some online posts and media outlets suggested the flash resembled an intercept or shoot-down, claiming a second rising light appeared just before the event. The speculation fueled rumors of possible military action.

On September 13, the Weifang Emergency Management Bureau issued a statement saying it had “received no information regarding any interception or shoot-down,” and confirmed that no official determination of the object’s nature had been made.

The sighting coincided with live-fire navigation warnings in the Yellow Sea (September 10–25) and the Bohai Sea (September 11–15), issued by China’s Maritime Safety Administration. However, no evidence has linked the military drills to the luminous event.

🇨🇳 BREAKING: According to Chinese media, China has successfully intercepted a fireball meteor with a missile in the sky above a city in Shandong Province.

A local citizen told reporters: I heard a loud noise. 🌠💥 pic.twitter.com/w928uXyv8c

— Defence Index (@Defence_Index) September 14, 2025

Neither the International Meteor Organization nor the American Meteor Society recorded fireball reports from China that matched the incident’s time and location. Both organizations noted that participation from China in their databases remains limited.

As of now, the phenomenon remains unexplained. According to the Taiwanese-origin Chinese-language newspaper World Journal on September 14, multiple internet users in Shandong described witnessing a “UFO being shot down” in the night sky.

Some residents claimed they heard “two loud bangs, resembling artillery shells,” followed by a glowing object descending after what appeared to be an intercept. Reports also mentioned a strong flash and a tremor felt on the ground.