Visuals from Gaza misrepresented as 'Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon'

What's being claimed?

A one-minute compilation of about 12 videos showing buildings exploding after missile strikes has circulated online, claiming these visuals depict Israeli airstrikes that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon.

A Facebook user shared the video with the caption, “VIEWER DISCRETION: Moments of arrival for all the bunker-busting bombs that ended the lives of Nasrallah and Hezbollah’s leadership in their fortified underground bases. Unbelievable.” Archived versions of similar claims can be found here and here.

Screenshot of the viral video which claims to show Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon. (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

The video gained traction after Nasrallah was reportedly killed on September 27, 2024, in an Israeli airstrike. On October 1, 2024, Iran, which backs the Lebanon-based militant outfit Hezbollah, fired about 180 missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome. One person was killed in the West Bank, according to BBC reports.

However, none of the visuals are from Lebanon and predate Israel’s attack on Hezbollah leadership.

Here are the facts

Video 1

The compilation opens with footage of people on a street ducking and running as a building explodes in the background. A reverse image search revealed that this video was shared on Anadolu Agency English's X account on August 19, 2024 (archived here). 

It was captioned: “Moment of Israeli army's attack on Zagout family's home in Nuseirat Camp captured.” The post stated that 16 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Deir al-Balah, a Nuseirat refugee camp, and Khan Younis in Gaza. This indicates that the video is not recent and is not from Lebanon.

A comparison of the viral video with the video shared by Anadolu Agency. (Source: X)

Video 2

Starting at 0:06 seconds, the second video shows a man and a boy walking on the street as something strikes the building in the background, causing an explosion. This video also originates from Gaza. The Telegraph shared it on its YouTube account on August 18, 2024 (archived here), with the caption, “Moment Israeli strike hits residential building in Nuseirat, Gaza.” 

The description notes that a man and a child are seen running for shelter as the strike destroys multiple stories of an apartment tower in Nuseirat, home to thousands of displaced Palestinians, on August 17, 2024.

Screenshot of the video published by The Telegraph. (Source: YouTube)

Video 3

At 0:13 seconds, the third video shows a building exploding while a white car drives away, and people run for cover. These exact visuals were shared by Al Jazeera - Jordan (archived here) on Facebook on August 12, 2024. The caption reads, “Watch | The moment the occupation bombed a residential building in Gaza amid the panic of residents and passersby.”

A comparison of the viral video and the video uploaded by Al Jazeera. (Source: X/Facebook)

Video 4 

Beginning at 0:19 seconds, this clip features a man walking and ducking as an explosion occurs behind him. A reverse image search revealed this video was shared by an X account named Gaza Notifications (archived here) on July 28, 2024, prior to the recent Israel-Lebanon conflict. The caption stated, “The moment of the Israeli airstrike in Deir Al Balah today that resulted in the deaths of more than 30 Palestinian civilians, including 16 children and 8 women.”

A comparison of the keyframes from the viral video and video shared by Gaza Notifications. (Source: X)

Video 5

Starting at 0:25 seconds, this clip shows a tall building exploding in a residential area. The video dates back to August 2024 and was shared by Al Jazeera Egypt (archived here) on August 23, 2024, with the caption, “For the second time in a few days, the occupation targeted a residential building in the Nuseirat camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip (translated from Arabic)."

Comparison of the viral video with the Al Jazeera Egypt video. (Source:X)

Video 6

At 0:31 seconds, visuals of an airstrike on a brown and beige building appear, with the overlay text “BUREIJ CAMP TODAY” and a date stamp of “3-6-2024.” A Google search revealed the same video was posted by Middle East Eye (archived here) on June 4, 2024. The caption states, “Footage shows the moment an Israeli air strike targeted a building in al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah,” adding that around 10 people were killed on June 3, 2024.

Comparison of viral video with the video uploaded by Middle East Eye. (Source: X)

Video 7

The seventh video, at 0:35 seconds, shows a purported missile hitting a building, with a blue car parked nearby. Ali Dar Ali, who identifies as a reporter with Palestine TV, uploaded this video to Facebook on June 24, 2024 (archived here). 

The caption reads, “The moment a house was bombed in Gaza.” (Translated from Arabic) The same video was shared by Iranian news outlet Shaeb Khabar on July 4, 2024, with a caption in Arabic reading, “Video/ The moment of the terrible bombing of a house in Gaza.”

Comparison of the viral video with the June 2024 Facebook video. (Source: X/Facebook)

Video 8

At 0:37 seconds, a short clip shows a bomb exploding near tents. A reverse image search found this video shared by Al Khaleej (archived here), a news outlet in the United Arab Emirates, on August 7, 2024. The caption reads, “Video | An Israeli missile destroys a house amidst the tents of the displaced in Gaza.”

Comparison of the viral video with the Al Khaleej video. (Source: X)

Video 9

At 0:40 seconds, the viral video features an apartment building collapsing after a missile attack. Australian news website News.com.au (archived here) shared the same video in October 2023, claiming it shows Israel's airstrike on Gaza, where more than 300 Palestinians were killed in the attack.

Comparison of viral video with News.com.au video. (Source: X/News.com.au)

Video 10

At 0:47 seconds, the clip depicts a missile attack on a residential building as people take cover behind a white structure. TRT Haber, a Turkish news outlet, shared the same video on its YouTube channel (archived here) on July 21, 2024, titled “Israel strikes building in Nussairat refugee camp (translated from Turkish)." Hurriyet reported that the Israeli army struck an eight-story structure in the Nusayrat Refugee Camp on the same date.

A screenshot of the original YouTube video with the date highlighted. (Source: YouTube)

Video 11

At 0:53 seconds, this clip shows a missile hitting a white residential building, causing it to collapse. A reverse image search revealed the same video posted by Dotto Rangimotto, a Tanzanian novelist, on their Facebook account on October 11, 2023 (archived here). 

The caption reads, “This is how Israel uses the GBU-27 Paveway III/SPICE 2000 guided bomb to hit buildings in Gaza. #istandwithpalestine.” The same video was also published by Turkish news outlet Yeniçağ on October 12, 2023, reporting that the video shows a building collapsing after a missile strike in Gaza.

Comparison of viral video with Facebook video. (Source: X/Facebook)

Video 12

At 0:59 seconds, this video shows a missile striking a building next to one with a black water tank on the roof. Shehab News Agency, a Palestinian news outlet, shared this video on its X account (archived here) on December 23, 2023, captioned, “Watch | The moment the occupation bombed a residential building in Gaza City.”

Comparison of viral video with Shehab News Agency’s video. (Source: X)

The evidence demonstrates that older videos of airstrikes on residential buildings in Gaza have been falsely linked to the current conflict between Israel and Lebanon.

The verdict

Old videos of airstrikes on residential buildings in Gaza have been inaccurately shared as evidence of Israel's attack on Lebanon. The visuals predate the recent Israel-Hezbollah conflict that began in September.