"Astronomers have long assumed that the Magellanic Clouds have orbited the Milky Way at approximately their current distances, but evidence suggests that it is rare for them to come as close to the Milky Way as they are now. Observation and theoretical evidence suggest that the Magellanic Clouds have both been greatly distorted by tidal interaction with the Milky Way as they travel close to it."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magellanic_Clouds

"They are merely flying by at high speed and that this close encounter is a first time occurrence. The Magellanic Clouds have enough velocity to escape the Milky Way and fly about the local group. They will be changed by the effect of the close encounter and undergo a burst phase of star formation."

https://stargazehawaii.com/the-magellanic-clouds-are-not-in-...