Old YouTube video repopularized after Iran’s strike in Iraq

Some Facebook users are sharing an old video under the guise that it shows Iran’s recent attack on two United States air bases in Iraq. It doesn’t.

The video was posted Jan. 7 and depicts a rapid succession of missiles or rockets being launched into the air.

"Footage of the second attack of misiles (sic) at the American base in Iran," the user wrote in their caption.

The video was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.) It has been viewed more than 15,000 times.

(Screenshot from Facebook)

Setting aside the fact that it shows far more missiles than the Pentagon said Iran launched, the video is older than Jan. 7.

Featured Fact-check

Bloggers

stated on March 21, 2019 in a Facebook post

"We could build 30 walls with the $150 billion Obama gave to Iran."

We found the video on YouTube as early as November 2018. Other videos claimed it shows a Russian military exercise. While we could not independently confirm the origin of the video, the style of shooting depicted is consistent with other rocket launchers Russia has tested.

Regardless, the Facebook video does not show Iran’s strike in Iraq. Below is some footage Iran released after the attack, in which there were no reported casualties.

The Facebook posts are inaccurate. We rate them False.