Claim: A video shows the first of US-Iran attacks amid the rising tension between the countries and the buildup of US military assets in the Middle East.
Fact: The video is old and appeared online as early as October 2024, with posts and news reports linking it to an Iranian missile attack on Israel in October 2024.
On 11 February, a now-deleted post on X (archive) claimed to share a video of the US conducting missile strikes inside Iran. The description reads:
“Breaking
The attack on Iran has begun, America has already begun the attack.
We are at war.
Airstrikes on America are ongoing.
Pray for Iran.”
On the other hand, a user posted the same clip (archive), claiming it showed Iran attacking the US.
The US was building up its military assets in the Middle East ahead of another round of talks on the Iranian nuclear program, which were held in Geneva on 17 February.
The buildup was to pressure Tehran and have an option to strike inside the country in case talks between the two countries fail, CNN reported, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The indirect talks in Geneva concluded with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi saying afterward that the countries had an understanding on “guiding principles”. US officials cited by publications said there was progress, but gaps remained.
After the talks ended, Iran said it was preparing a draft proposal on the nuclear deal for the US ahead of the next round of talks on 26 February.
The first round of talks was held in Oman in early February and yielded no breakthrough.
US President Donald Trump has been suggesting the possibility of an attack on Iran for weeks, warning the country’s leaders that he would order an attack if it did not stop killing protesters or if it launched mass executions of demonstrators.
However, the US has not launched any such attack on Iran as of the time of publishing this article.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check reverse-searched keyframes from the video and found that it is unrelated to ongoing tensions between the US and Iran.
An X user posted the same clip (archive) on 1 October 2024, with the following caption:
“Dozens of ballistic missile impacts near Tel Aviv, #Israel in #Iran’s attack just now.”
Left: Clip being fact-checked, circulating in February 2026. Right: Same clip from October 2024.
The same footage was also posted on X multiple times in early October 2024, confirming it is old. All the posts linked the clip to Iran’s missile attack on Israel at the time.
In October 2024, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel in response to the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other senior Hamas and Iranian officials. Many of the missiles were intercepted at the time, according to The Guardian.
The same video was also shared on Facebook in October 2024.
A user also posted the exact clip on the Fars News platform on 1 October 2024.
BBC News Tamil also published the same video at the time, titled (translated via Google Translate): “How did Iranian missiles hit Israel? – Video”, confirming it predates the ongoing tensions between the countries.
Moreover, according to the reports, the US is considering potential strikes and they have not been carried out yet.
Soch Fact Check, therefore, concludes that the claim is false.
Virality
The video appeared on X here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
On Facebook here, here, here, and here.
It was also posted on Instagram here and here.
Conclusion: The clip is old and appeared online as early as October 2024.
Background image in cover photo: DW
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