The US Defence Visual Information Distribution Service has apologised on its Twitter account over a now-deleted tweet threatening alien enthusiasts who had gathered near the notorious Area 51 this weekend.
The divisive tweet contained a picture of military personnel standing in front of a B-2 stealth bomber with the caption "the last thing #Millennials will see if they attempt the #area51raid today".
The unit, responsible for US military PR, said that it was a mistake that did not reflect its stance.
In spite of the apology, many social media users were unhappy with the unit's 'mistake', expressing hope that the DVIDS fired the person who posted the tweet.
Others took aim at the 'blood-thirsty' US military itself.
However, some users found the original tweet amusing.
Area 51 plays a pivotal role in many UFO and other conspiracy theories. Some people believe that the facility stores the fragments of an alien spacecraft that allegedly crashed at Roswell in 1947. The US government officially recognised the existence of the base only in 2013. Authorities have warned that any attempts to raid the military installation would not be tolerated.