Washington: The Pentagon has admitted that it has videos or still photographs of three unidentified flying objects that were shot down by US fighter jets over the US and Canada last month, but has refused to release the material to the public, according to reports. doing.

A Pentagon spokesman told the UK's Daily Mail newspaper on Monday that there were no plans to change the classification of the UFO video. "I can confirm that we are unable to release any images or video footage at this time. The images are still classified."

The Pentagon's prompt release of a photo taken by a US Air Force pilot of an alleged Chinese spy balloon over Montana in early February contrasts with a decision to withhold the footage from the public.

Also Read: Yemeni leaders promise to fend off another Houthi attack

After the balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina a few days later, US officials wasted no time in releasing images of its recovery.

The US military shot down at least three unidentified objects between February 10 and February 12, as tensions over the Chinese balloon hit an all-time high and President Joe Biden's administration was under criticism for allowing it to cross the continent .

The first was a "car-sized object" that was shot down over Alaska, and the second was "cylindrical" and struck in Canada's Yukon Territory. Over Lake Huron, a third object was detected and destroyed. All but three of them were killed by Sidewinder missiles.

Also Read: White House: Despite deadly attacks the US will not abandon its mission in Syria

John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, warned reporters last month that the US government may never be able to definitively identify UFOs.

We should all be prepared to consider the possibility that the wreckage of the three items may not be salvageable. Biden claimed that the UFOs were probably privately owned and most likely used for research on weather or other areas of science.

Also Read: Afghan authorities detain a prominent advocate for girls' education

According to some observers, the administration may have been hiding information about the dropped items to prevent embarrassment, not out of security concerns.

Around the same time that the US military shot down a UFO in the area, a hobbyist group in Illinois claimed that a small mylar balloon had disappeared over the Yukon. These balloons start at just $12. The cost of one Sidewinder missile is approximately $472,000.