Category Middle East

Fact Check: Video Is NOT Real Al Jazeera Report About Ukrainian Drone Expert Fleeing From Middle East To France

Was a video about Ukrainian drone operator Miroslav Radchenko shared on social media actually produced and distributed by Al Jazeera? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no traces of such a report broadcast or shared online by Al Jazeera or any other media outlet. Spreading false narratives through clips with logos of real media organizations is a well-known tactic used by misinformation networks.

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Did Putin post that Netanyahu died in airstrike? Don’t fall for rumor

In March 2026, a rumor circulated online that Russian President Vladimir Putin posted (archived) on X that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu died in an airstrike. [...] However, the post originated from the X account @MrputinSpoof (archived) - not the Russian president. The account's bio identifies it as a "fan/commentary page" and the handle itself includes the word spoof, which Merriam-Webster defines as "a light humorous parody." Therefore, we found the post originated as satire.

Read MoreDid Putin post that Netanyahu died in airstrike? Don’t fall for rumor

Footage of Russian attack on Kyiv shared with false claims it shows Iranian drone strike on Bahrain

Footage of a drone strike on a building has been shared on social media with false claims it shows a recent Iranian attack on Bahrain. But it actually predates the recent conflict in the Middle East and shows a Russian attack on Ukraine.

Read MoreFootage of Russian attack on Kyiv shared with false claims it shows Iranian drone strike on Bahrain

Fake: Missiles Meant for Ukraine Surface in Iranian Strikes on U.S., Israel

The claim does not appear on any of USA Today's official platforms, and Parker Hempel, the ISW analyst cited in the video, has no record of making the statements attributed to him. Iran's missile arsenal draws exclusively from Soviet and North Korean design lineages, and U.S.-manufactured systems are mechanically incompatible with Iranian launch infrastructure. The video is the latest iteration of a recurring disinformation narrative - the so-called "NATO weapons black market" - a claim that has been repeatedly investigated and never substantiated.

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Fact-Check: Old Video from 2022 Viral as Iran Missile Hitting King Fahd Bridge

A viral video is shared online claiming to show an Iranian missile striking the King Fahd Bridge between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia [...]The video is from October 2022 and actually shows an explosion on the Kerch Strait Bridge in Crimea, not related to Iran or the current conflict

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An old and unrelated video from Ukraine is being falsely shared as a recent Iranian strike on Israel’s nuclear plant

Claim: Viral video shows Iran launching a strike on an Israeli nuclear power plant amid the recent Iran-Israel escalation.
Fact: The viral video is from March 2017 and shows a fire at a military ammunition depot in Balakliya, Ukraine. It has no connection to the recent Iran-Israel tensions or any alleged strike on an Israeli nuclear facility. Hence the claim is MISLEADING.

Read MoreAn old and unrelated video from Ukraine is being falsely shared as a recent Iranian strike on Israel’s nuclear plant

Ukraine Video Peddled As Iranian Strike On Israel’s ‘Nuclear Plant’

An old video of a fire breaking out at an arms depot in the eastern town of Balakliya in Ukraine, is being falsely shared as footage showing Iran destroying an Israeli nuclear power plant with missiles, allegedly causing radioactive leakage.

Read MoreUkraine Video Peddled As Iranian Strike On Israel’s ‘Nuclear Plant’