11 hours ago
AI-generated video falsely shared as aftermath of Iran's attack on Israel
"This footage is not recorded in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, or Syria, but in Tel Aviv, Israel, showing the destruction of some buildings in the city after an Iranian hypersonic missile attack," says the Indonesian-language caption of a video on X on June 15, 2025.
Arabic-language text in the video's top-right corner reads, "Tel Aviv".
The 16-second video shows toppled buildings and damaged structures.
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Screenshot of false post captured on June 19, 2025, with a red X added by AFP
The longtime foes have continued to trade deadly fire in their most intense confrontation in history, fuelling fears of a drawn-out conflict that could engulf the Middle East (archived link).
Iran's health ministry said at least 224 people have been killed and more than 1,200 wounded, while Israel's prime minister's office said at least 24 people have been killed and 592 others injured.
The same video and claim have circulated on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. It has also been shared in other languages including Thai, English, Bengali, Arabic and Spanish.
However, a reverse image search of the keyframes revealed the video was made using Google's AI tools.
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Screenshot from Google Images, with the AI label highlighted by AFP
Another search found the clip was posted in an Instagram post on May 28, days before Iran's attack on Israel, alongside hashtags such as #southlebanon (archived link).
The account has shared other AI-generated videos, and its profile reads "AI resistance".
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Screenshot of the 3amelyon's Instagram account, taken on June 20, 2025
AFP has debunked other misinformation related to the Israel-Iran conflict here.
