These videos don’t show US strikes in Iran and counterattacks, they’re AI and outdated

Fake and outdated videos and images are circulating on social media misrepresenting the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s counterattacks.

At least 500 people have been killed in Iran and deaths have also been reported in Lebanon, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain. Four American servicemembers have also been killed in combat. 

But some trending images are not accurate depictions of the conflict. 

Video of an explosion is from 2015 in China, not bombing of Tel Aviv

A video posted on X March 1 showed a large, fiery explosion. “THIS IS TEL AVIV. THANK YOU IRAN!” its caption read. 

However, this video was taken in 2015, when a chemical warehouse in Tianjin, China, exploded twice, killing at least 50 people and injuring hundreds more. 

Regarding the Iran attacks, The Associated Press reported that Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group, fired missiles against Israel on March 2, but there were no reported injuries or damage. 

Purported videos of Iranian base attacks are AI-generated, one is from June 

A March 1 X post shared a video compilation of four clips, purportedly depicting the moments several Iranian military bases were attacked. That video was originally shared on social media in December 2025, when it was described as showing Iran’s 12-day war with Israel in June.

Full Fact reported in December that three of the four clips in the video had evidence of being made using artificial intelligence. The AI clips featured warped door frames and body parts, unrealistic background displays and unnatural reactions to the explosions by people and items in the room. Full Fact found that only one of the clips in the video was real, airing on Iranian State TV following an Israeli strike in June 2025. PolitiFact also found that clip on YouTube.

Footage of Iranian missile attacks on Israel is from 2024

Another March 1 X post claimed to show Iranian missiles striking Israel. The video’s English caption said an Israeli man was shouting, “The military airport is gone!”

This video is outdated. 

A military correspondent for Israel’s state-owned TV channel made the original X post showing an Iranian missile attack on Israel in October 2024, when Iran launched about 180 missiles into central and southern Israel.