A common phenomenon in times of conflict. After Iran's attack on Israel on Saturday, in response to a deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, numerous false publications emerged on social networks, notably on X (formerly Twitter). Claiming to illustrate the clashes between the two countries, some Internet users have relayed images of a diverted article, a distorted montage, or even videos completely taken out of context. Decryption.
A fake article about Princess Salma of Jordan
Several X accounts, some being French-speaking, relayed this weekend a screenshot of a Dubai site entitled “Emirates Woman”, apparently highlighting the achievements of Princess Salma of Jordan. According to the title of this article, the princess, a pilot in the Jordanian air force, is said to have destroyed six Iranian drones during Tehran's attack on Israel. “In the tumultuous context of the conflict, Princess Salma bint Abdullah of Jordan has once again demonstrated her unfailing commitment to humanity,” boasts the text.
But the title highlighted in this screenshot is false. The original article, accessible on the Emirates Woman website, actually recounts the mobilization of Princess Salma in the airdrop of emergency medical supplies to Gaza, in December 2023. Her mother, Queen Rania of Jordan, also posted a photograph of this intervention on Instagram, at the same time.
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A post shared by Queen Rania Al Abdullah (@queenrania)
A montage showing Palestinians celebrating mass Iranian attacks
Relayed by several accounts on
In reality, the video is a montage combining extracts from a gathering in front of the mosque, already visible on Labaik Labaik Ya Aqsa” (in French, “I am at your service, oh Al-Aqsa”). This sound can be found in TikTok videos from two years ago, as highlighted by the Turkish verification account Malumatfuruş.
An image presented as an explosion in Tehran
According to certain publications on X, images showed that, faced with the growing Iranian threat, Israel had taken the lead by attacking Tehran first. Several accounts republished a photo showing an area of the Iranian capital engulfed in impressive flames, causing thick smoke in the sky.
These publications were, however, flagged as false by several context notes on fire in an oil refinery in the Iranian capital, dating from June 2021. The image, taken by a photoreporter from Agence France Presse, notably served as an illustration for a dispatch from the same agency, taken up by 20 Minutes, Le Figaro, or even L’Orient-Le Jour.
Images of Iranian missiles actually coming from Crimea
Other images circulating on X show the arrival of several missiles on a town that is difficult to identify, in the middle of the night. Some accounts, including the widely followed “Syrian Girl”, claim that these are “Iranian missiles hitting illegal Israeli settlements”.
However, this video was not filmed in Israel, but in Sevastopol, in Crimea, a Ukrainian region annexed by Russia, as several Internet users on X have pointed out. These extracts are also visible on the Telegraph's YouTube channel. They actually illustrate a Ukrainian attack targeting two Russian warships in the Black Sea, which occurred at the end of March.
Fake video of Israelis panicking in the street
“Israelis are in total panic after the arrival of missiles in Israel!! », “We can see people fleeing in panic and despair as Iranian drones strike Israel”, we can read in the caption of a video relayed by several accounts on X, some of which are French-speaking. In these images, we see a crowd gathered on a sidewalk, facing a pedestrian crossing, in the middle of the night. Some people run across the road.
Problem: this video was not filmed in Israel, but in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in a context far removed from the conflict. As journalists specializing in disinformation Shayan Sardarizadeh and Luís Galrão explain, these people gathered in the street are in fact fans of singer Louis Tomlinson, hanging out near his hotel. The former member of the group One Direction was then promoting his upcoming tour in South America, as shown in a video from his TikTok account, broadcast a week ago.