Video of fire in Tel Aviv shared with false claim it shows aftermath of Hezbollah attack

What's the claim?

Amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, a video is circulating on social media that shows a building engulfed in flames with several cars ablaze. The footage is being shared with claims that it depicts the aftermath of a Hezbollah attack on Tel Aviv. A TikTok user posted the video with overlaid text reading, "Massive Breaking News 17 Aug 2024. Hezbollah launches a major attack on Tel Aviv." The archived version of this post is here.

The video has also been shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) with similar claims. One user posted the clip with the caption, "Hezbollah Strikes Tel Aviv." An archived version of this post is here.

A screenshot of a claim made online. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, the video does not show the aftermath of a Hezbollah strike. Instead, it shows a tree fire in Tel Aviv that spread to a garage and an office building nearby.

What we found

Through a reverse image search, Logically Facts found the video published by the Israeli news outlet News 08 on August 17, 2024. The report provided further details, including additional footage from the scene. It stated that Dan District's 102 emergency center was initially informed about a tree on fire on Hayei Adam Street in southern Tel Aviv. The fire later spread, causing damage to a nearby garage and office building. 

Numerous local news outlets covered the fire at the time. All these reports stated that the blaze caused damage to a nearby garage and office building but made no reference to a Hezbollah attack. i24NEWS, an Israeli news network, also covered the incident but also did not refer to a Hezbollah attack. 

No news or media coverage indicates that a Hezbollah attack occurred in Tel Aviv on August 17, 2024. It's important to note that there has been an exchange of fire between the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israel over the past few weeks. Hezbollah recently claimed to have fired missiles at Israel, as it has voiced support for Hamas amid the Israel-Hamas war. However, the now-viral video is unrelated to the ongoing conflict. 

Logically Facts has contacted Israel's National Fire and Rescue Authority for a comment. We will update this story once we receive a response.

The verdict

The video in question depicts a tree fire that spread, causing significant damage to nearby properties. It has no links to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.