At around 9 p.m. on 12 September in Weifang, Rizhao and surrounding areas of Shandong, many people reported seeing an unidentified flying object shot down in the night sky, with some witnesses claiming to have heard two loud bangs.

Video footage showed a fireball-like object moving across the sky, followed by what appeared to be something launched from the ground. The two glowing bodies collided and exploded, producing a dazzling flash.

On 13 September, staff from Weifang’s emergency management bureau said they had not received any reports regarding the incident.

Military enthusiasts, analysing the footage and eyewitness accounts, speculated it may have been an air defence interception drill. The fireball could have been a target drone or a missile simulating a cruise missile, while the rising object was likely an interceptor missile.

Others online suggested it could have been a meteor fall or a weather phenomenon, but so far none of these theories have been officially confirmed.