{"id":2449,"date":"2026-07-25T12:55:39","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T12:55:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabnewsmonitor.com\/2026\/07\/25\/no-this-video-does-not-show-iran-downing-a-us-b-52-bomber\/"},"modified":"2026-07-25T12:55:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T12:55:39","slug":"no-this-video-does-not-show-iran-downing-a-us-b-52-bomber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=2449","title":{"rendered":"No, this video does not show Iran downing a US B-52 bomber"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--banner-top o-ad-container--with-shimmer o-ad-container--with-background\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-type=\"sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-status=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring__wrapper\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content t-content--article\" id=\"main-content\">\n<div class=\"t-content__above-sidebar\">\n<h1 class=\"t-content__title a-page-title\">No, this video does not show Iran downing a US B-52 bomber<\/h1>\n<div class=\"m-master-tag\">\n<div class=\"a-tag-section\">\n                                    Middle East\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"t-content__chapo\">\n                                        A video said to show an Iranian missile destroying a US B-52 bomber has garnered more than three million views on X, where it has been picked up and shared by a pro-Iranian account. However, if you look closely, you\u2019ll see the signs that this video was actually artificially generated.\u00a0                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__with-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"t-content__beside-sidebar\" data-article-content>\n<div class=\"t-content__metadata\">\n<div class=\"t-content__dates\">\n<p class=\"m-pub-dates\"><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Issued on: <time datetime=\"2026-07-25T09:27:16+00:00\">25\/07\/2026 &#8211; 11:27<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-reading-time\">\n    <span class=\"a-reading-time__icon\" title=\"Reading time\"><\/p>\n<p>    <\/span><br \/>\n    2 min    <span class=\"u-sr-only\">Reading time<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a-share-button\" data-root-share>\n<p>                            <span class=\"a-master-button__label\">Share<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__authors\">\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                By:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/the-france-24-observers\/\" title=\"The FRANCE 24 Observers\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                The FRANCE 24 Observers<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                                                                    <span class=\"m-from-author__separator\">\/<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/nora-litoussi\/\" title=\"Nora LITOUSSI\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                Nora LITOUSSI<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__main-media\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1f108a8e-8760-11f1-9ceb-005056bfb2b6\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/B52.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1f108a8e-8760-11f1-9ceb-005056bfb2b6\/w:388\/p:16x9\/B52.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1f108a8e-8760-11f1-9ceb-005056bfb2b6\/w:720\/p:16x9\/B52.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/1f108a8e-8760-11f1-9ceb-005056bfb2b6\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/B52.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"An X account called Iran Army Media shared this video on July 19, 2026.\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                An X account called Iran Army Media shared this video on July 19, 2026.        \u00a9 X    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__body u-clearfix\">\n<p>Did an Iranian missile really down an American B-52 bomber? That\u2019s the claim being made by social media users sharing a video that appears to show a missile tailing and then striking a B-52 bomber in mid-air.<\/p>\n<p>One July 19 X post by the pro-Iranian account <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.is\/yKNOx\" target=\"_blank\"><u>Iran Army Media<\/u><\/a> has garnered more than three million views since it was shared with the caption \u201cwatch Iranian missiles chase down America\u2019s finest war planes\u201d.<\/p>\n<h2>No coverage by\u00a0credible media outlets<\/h2>\n<p>When we searched the keywords &#8220;B-52&#8221;, &#8220;shot down&#8221; and \u201cIranian missile\u201d online, we didn\u2019t find a single article in a credible media source about the recent loss of a US B-52 bomber.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, several things\u00a0visible\u00a0in the video point to it\u00a0being artificially generated.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Visual clues that the video was artificially generated\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\">The flames and the smoke seem strangely frozen on the plane\u2019s fuselage, seemingly unmoved by the wind or the fact that the plane is moving. This is a common issue with computer-generated effects that can help differentiate it from footage of a real <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/fire\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">fire<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\">It is also strange that the plane breaks into neat pieces after it is hit. Once again, this is much more akin to the special effects seen in video games than what it looks like when a plane is hit in reality.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/ed9a44ca-85bd-11f1-9909-005056a97e36\/w:980\/photo-de-Matthew-Metro-sur-son-profil-Facebook-13-3.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/ed9a44ca-85bd-11f1-9909-005056a97e36\/w:246\/photo-de-Matthew-Metro-sur-son-profil-Facebook-13-3.png 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/ed9a44ca-85bd-11f1-9909-005056a97e36\/w:388\/photo-de-Matthew-Metro-sur-son-profil-Facebook-13-3.png 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/ed9a44ca-85bd-11f1-9909-005056a97e36\/w:720\/photo-de-Matthew-Metro-sur-son-profil-Facebook-13-3.png 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/ed9a44ca-85bd-11f1-9909-005056a97e36\/w:980\/photo-de-Matthew-Metro-sur-son-profil-Facebook-13-3.png 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"This is a screenshot of the video shared on X on July 19, 2026, by an account called Iran Army Media. We\u2019ve outlined in red the way that the plane seems to break into neat pieces after being hit, some\" style=\"max-height:478px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                This is a screenshot of the video shared on X on July 19, 2026, by an account called Iran Army Media. We\u2019ve outlined in red the way that the plane seems to break into neat pieces after being hit, something that seems very unrealistic.        \u00a9 X    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align:justify\">The movement of the camera is abnormally fluid and stable for a fast-moving object filmed from a distance. And the lighting and the texture of the plane aren\u2019t realistic.\u00a0Reflections or atmospheric effects, usually visible when something is filmed from an aerial view, are not visible.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The fact-checking outlet <a href=\"https:\/\/leadstories.com\/hoax-alert\/2026\/07\/fact-check-fake-video-falsely-shows-a-u.s.-b52-being-shot-down-by-a-missile.html\" target=\"_blank\"><u>Lead Stories<\/u><\/a> reported that this video was likely taken from a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/military\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">military<\/a> flight simulator or a video game, such as DCS World or War Thunder. For the time being, neither Lead Stories nor social media users have been able to find the exact excerpt from a video game or a simulator that this sequence may have been taken from.<\/p>\n<p>This wouldn\u2019t be the first time that a video game sequence has been taken out of context since the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Last March, a number of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/fr\/moyen-orient\/20260303-iran-confusion-fausses-images-frappes-contre-porte-avions-uss-lincoln\" target=\"_self\"><u>images said to show strikes on the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier<\/u><\/a> circulated widely on social media before it was discovered that they were false and that most of them were excerpts from a video game.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em>This article has been translated from <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/fr\/moyen-orient\/20260722-cette-vid%C3%A9o-ne-montre-pas-un-bombardier-b-52-am%C3%A9ricain-abattu-par-l-iran\" target=\"_self\"><em><u>the original in French<\/u><\/em><\/a><em> by Brenna Daldorph.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"o-sidebar__aside\">\n<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--box o-ad-container--with-shimmer\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__tags t-content__below-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"m-section-title m-section-title--small\">Keywords for this article<\/div>\n<ul class=\"m-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/the-observers\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"The Observers\">    The Observers<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/debunked\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Debunked\">    Debunked<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran\">    Iran<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/usa\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"USA\">    USA<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran-conflict\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran war\">    Iran war<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/video-games\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Video games\">    Video games<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advertising No, this video does not show Iran downing a US B-52 bomber Middle East&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":2450,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2449"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2449\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}