Claim: A viral video shows Iranian missiles destroying buildings in Tel Aviv, Israel, as part of a recent missile attack.
Verdict: False. The video is from a July 2023 Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow, Russia, and has no connection to the October 2023 events in Israel.
The Claim: A viral video has been circulating on social media, with claims that it shows buildings in Tel Aviv being attacked by Iranian missiles. The clip, shared widely across platforms like Facebook, features the sound of air raid sirens and a woman screaming, as a building is seen under attack. Many sharing the video claimed it was footage from the October 2023 air attack, in which Iran allegedly fired approximately 180 missiles at Israel. One social media post read, “Hypersonic missiles are landing at the heart of Tel Aviv. The Iron Dome has failed.”
Fact-Check Analysis:
- Origin of the Video: A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video led to a post on the Russian social media platform VK, dated July 2023. The post claimed the video depicted Ukrainian drones crashing into a building in Moscow.
- BBC Report: Further research led to a BBC news report from July 30, 2023, which detailed a Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow. The report mentioned that Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the downing of three Ukrainian drones on that day. While two drones crashed into office buildings, no injuries were reported.The drones caused significant damage to the facades of two buildings, one of which was the 50-storey IQ-Quarter building in the Moscow International Business Centre. Another explosion was reported at the OKO tower complex. The Vnukovo Airport was also briefly closed due to the attack.
- Official Reports on Israel: Regarding the actual events in Tel Aviv on October 1, 2023, Israeli officials have not reported any significant building destruction or serious injuries due to missile strikes. While Iran reportedly launched around 180 missiles, many of them were intercepted by Israel’s defense system.
Context: The viral video has been misrepresented in an attempt to spread fear and misinformation during the heightened tensions between Israel and Iran in October 2023. The video, however, has nothing to do with Tel Aviv and is instead footage of a July 2023 drone attack in Moscow, Russia.
Conclusion: The viral video claiming to show Iranian missile attacks on Tel Aviv is actually from a July 2023 Ukrainian drone attack on buildings in Moscow. The misrepresentation of this footage has contributed to the spread of misinformation about the ongoing conflict in the region.
Verdict: False. The viral video is unrelated to the recent events in Tel Aviv.