Since the 1990s, both locals and tourists have reported strange aerial phenomena over Wadi Rum, ranging from bright orbs silently crossing the sky to lights that appear, vanish, and reappear miles away in seconds. In 2000, a group of Italian trekkers camping in the valley reported a series of red and white lights moving in formation, which local Bedouins also witnessed. More recently, tour groups on night safaris (2016–2022) have uploaded footage of hovering spheres and fast-moving streaks, fuelling claims of UFO activity. While skeptics point to satellites or military exercises, the recurring nature of these sightings has made Wadi Rum an active Middle Eastern UFO hotspot.