Claim:
A viral video circulating on social media claims that Iran launched a heavy strike on an Indian-flagged oil tanker named “Oil Brothers Kraft”, causing significant damage while the vessel was attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
Verdict: The claim is false.
What Is Being Claimed
A video widely shared online allegedly shows an Iranian attack on an Indian-flagged oil tanker during the ongoing tensions in the Gulf region. The clip, circulated by a social media account titled “Iran Press,” claimed that the vessel named “Oil Brothers Kraft” had suffered significant damage after being targeted by Iranian forces. The claim gained traction as tensions escalated around the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping route for oil and energy supplies.
FactCheck India Investigation
1. Government Fact Check
India’s official fact-checking authority, the Press Information Bureau, dismissed the claim. In a post on social media, the PIB Fact Check Unit stated that the viral video was fabricated using artificial intelligence and that the alleged attack never occurred.
2. No Record of the Tanker
A search across global ship tracking databases and AIS vessel monitoring platforms found no listing for any oil tanker named “Oil Brothers Kraft.” The absence of such a vessel in maritime records strongly indicates that the claim is entirely fabricated.
3. Iranian Diplomatic Clarification
Meanwhile, Mohammad Fathali confirmed that Indian vessels would not be harmed while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. He stated that India and Iran maintain cooperative ties and share regional interests, signalling that Indian ships would be allowed safe passage.
4. Indian Tankers Have Safely Crossed
Reports indicate that two Indian-flagged vessels — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — carrying around 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz and are expected to reach India safely. Their successful passage contradicts the viral claim of attacks on Indian vessels.
Conclusion By Factcheck India
✔ The viral video showing an attack on an Indian tanker is AI-generated.
✔ No ship named “Oil Brothers Kraft” exists in global shipping records.
✔ Indian vessels have continued to pass through the Strait of Hormuz safely.
Fake. The video circulating online is a fabricated piece of misinformation, created using artificial intelligence and shared amid rising tensions in the Gulf. Authorities have urged the public to verify such claims before amplifying them online. The video has been AI-generated, and there is no record of any Indian oil tanker named “Oil Brothers Kraft.”