Claim: Video shows Iran destroying Israel’s fighter jet F-35 in a retaliatory attack.
Fact: The claim is false because the footage is from the video game, Arma 3, and there is no credible evidence of Iran destroying the F-35 jet in the Isfahan strikes.
On 19 April 2024, a user on X (formerly Twitter) posted a video with the caption, “🚨BREAKING🚨
Iranian NTI air capabilities seen destroying the first Israeli F-35 in history over Isfahan”.
The video was shared after Israel carried out retaliatory attacks on 19 April which added to the tension between the two countries in light of the recent military escalation. It shows a fighter jet being shot down.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check used reverse image search on the video keyframes but could not find the same video. However, skimming through the comments on the X post, we saw comments by users saying that the video was created using the “Arma 3” game simulation.
Through a keyword search on YouTube, Soch Fact Check found that the video in question was uploaded by a YouTube channel Compared Comparison on 28 June 2023, predating the recent military escalation between Iran and Israel. Apart from the user’s comments on X, the following title of the YouTube video, “Fighter Jet Explodes after C-RAM System Hits Engine – Military Simulation – ArmA 3” also states that the video is from a game simulation.
Furthermore, to confirm whether such an incident had occurred recently at all, Soch Fact Check conducted a keyword search on Google about Israel’s F-35 fighter jet being shot down by Iran. However, we could not find credible information or news reports on the incident.
Therefore, Soch Fact Check confirms that the video in question is old and has nothing to do with the recent escalation between Iran and Israel.
Virality
On X, the video received 28700 views, 458 likes and 170 reposts. It can be seen here, here and here.
It was also shared here and here on Facebook.
Conclusion: A video showing Iran shooting down Israel’s fighter jet F-35 is not real but is from a gaming video called “Arma 3”.
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Background image in cover photo: Reuters
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