AI fakes and recycled war footage flood social media amid Iran conflict
SPECIAL REPORT: Fact-checkers warn AI-generated images and recycled videos are spreading widely as misinformation grows around the conflict
Artificial intelligence-generated images and recycled war footage have been circulating widely across social media as the conflict with Iran escalates.
The UK charity Full Fact says dozens of misleading posts have circulated online since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
Researchers identified at least 20 widely shared examples of false or misleading images and videos linked to the conflict, though they warn this represents only a fraction of the material now circulating online.
Separate analysis by BBC Verify found AI-generated war footage and fabricated satellite imagery linked to the conflict have attracted hundreds of millions of views online.
Much of the misinformation involves older footage being reposted with claims that it shows new scenes from the current fighting.
One widely shared clip claiming to show an Iranian missile strike on Dubai actually dates back to at least October 2024, according to Full Fact. Another video posted on Instagram, which attracted more than 180,000 views, was shared with claims that it showed a US airbase in Saudi Arabia, “burnt to ashes”.
In reality, the footage shows the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on the Yemeni port of Hudaydah in July 2024.
In another example, a video showing explosions near a building circulated on social media with claims that it depicted an Iranian missile attack on Tel Aviv. The footage actually dates from 2015 and shows explosions at a warehouse in the Chinese city of Tianjin.
Fact-checkers say the same clip was previously misused during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, again falsely presented as footage from a different conflict.
Alongside recycled video, artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to generate entirely fabricated images linked to the war.
Among the examples identified by researchers is an image appearing to show Dubai’s Burj Khalifa engulfed in flames. The picture carries a SynthID watermark, indicating that it was created or altered using Google’s AI technology.
Another widely shared image claimed to show the body of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei partially buried under rubble following recent strikes. Fact-checkers say the image also contains a SynthID watermark as well as visual inconsistencies that indicate it was generated using AI.
BBC Verify has also identified fabricated satellite imagery circulating online during the conflict. One image shared on X by the state-linked newspaper The Tehran Times claimed to show extensive damage to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain following Iranian strikes. Analysts found the image appeared to be based on a genuine satellite photograph of the base taken in February 2025, with identical vehicles visible in the same positions – indicating the scene had been digitally manipulated.
Experts say the rapid spread of synthetic war imagery reflects how easy generative AI tools have made it to create convincing conflict footage.
“What used to require professional video production can now be done in minutes with AI tools. The barrier to creating convincing synthetic conflict footage has essentially collapsed,” said Timothy Graham, a digital media expert at Queensland University of Technology.
Henry Ajder, a specialist in generative AI, said the number of tools capable of producing highly realistic manipulated images and videos is now “unprecedented”.
False political claims have also circulated alongside manipulated imagery.
Posts shared on X and Facebook alleged that the UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood had observed a minute’s silence to mark Khamenei’s death.
Full Fact said the claim is incorrect. After contacting the Home Office, officials confirmed that Mahmood had not taken part in any such tribute. The photograph shared alongside the claim actually comes from a visit she made to a mosque in Southport in 2024.
Fact-checkers say misleading images and videos often spread most rapidly during fast-moving international crises, when dramatic footage is widely shared before it can be verified.
Full Fact warned that the examples it has identified so far are “just the tip of the iceberg”, with verification experts around the world continuing to flag misleading or fabricated imagery linked to the conflict.
Researchers have also warned that some social media creators are financially incentivised to post sensational AI-generated war footage, as platforms reward highly viewed posts with advertising or engagement payments.
The charity is urging social media users to rely on trusted sources and verify the origin of images and videos before sharing them online, warning that misinformation during conflict can quickly spread and inflame tensions.
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