Viral video of US B-2 bomber aircraft downed by Iran during ongoing conflict between the countries

RATING JUSTIFICATION

The iVerify Pakistan team investigated this content and determined that it is false.

To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan conducted a keyword search, a reverse image search and forensic analysis of the video with AI-detection tools.

Multiple users on various social media platforms were sharing a video since March 4, 2026, allegedly showing a damaged American B-2 stealth bomber aircraft being transported by Iran during the ongoing conflict between the two countries. However, the video is AI-generated.

Israel and the United States launched joint military strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, significantly escalating tensions in the Middle East. President Donald Trump confirmed that the US had begun major combat operations, stating that the objective was to eliminate imminent threats from Iran and protect the American people.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — who had led the Islamic Republic for more than three decades — was killed in a strike in the early hours of Feb 28. The attack was carried out by the US and Israel, both of which had previously called for regime change in Tehran. B-2 stealth bombers were also used in the attacks.

Iran condemned the strikes as unprovoked and illegal. In response, it launched missile attacks targeting Israel and at least seven other countries, including Gulf states that host US military bases, and vowed retaliation for Khamenei’s assassination.

HOW IT STARTED

On March 4, a pro-Iranian account shared a video of a damaged B-2 aircraft being transported by road on X with the following caption: “Thank you, Iran, for making it clear that the USA is not what it belligerently boasts.”

The post gained 3.3 million views.

Another pro-Iranian user shared the same video with the same caption, garnering 4m views.

A pro-Palestinian user on X also shared the same video with the same caption, gaining 245,000 views.

Another pro-Iranian user shared the same video in a similar context with the following caption: “People of Iran raise their voices for freedom, justice, and human rights.”

The post accumulated 7.4m views and was liked by 118,000 users.

The same video in a similar context was shared by multiple users on several social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, as can be seen here, here, here, here, and here, collectively gaining more than 140,000 views.

METHODOLOGY

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its high virality and keen public interest in the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.

A keyword search was conducted to corroborate whether any credible mainstream international, Iranian or US news outlets had reported on Iran downing a US B-2, but yielded no results.

Checking the video through AI detection tools showed that Hive Moderation flagged it as being 97.1 per cent AI-generated.

Another tool, Sight Engine, marked it as being 61pc AI-generated.

Similarly, Decopy labelled it as being 100pc AI-generated content.

Further investigation showed that the users who shared the viral video had previously posted similar footage of a B-2 bomber being transported.

In addition, TikTok also labelled it as AI-generated.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim that a viral video shows a downed US B-2 bomber aircraft being moved by Iran during the current conflict between the countries is false.

The video is AI-generated.

EVIDENCE AND REFERENCES:

March 3, 2026, TikTok video:
https://www.tiktok.com/@bilalhero3176/video/7612587909408967966

MULTIPLE CLAIMS

At the same time, iVerify Pakistan observed multiple other claims regarding the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. Here are more claims that were debunked by the platform.

Viral video of Iranian missile strike on buildings in Israel — FALSE

On March 5, a user shared a video allegedly showing Iranian missiles striking buildings in Israel.

The caption read: “Breaking, Today in Israel an Iranian missile slipped through. Dramatic video footage of an Iranian missile strike in Israel. Emergency teams are on-site to extract residents from damaged and collapsed structures.”

The post gained 412,700 views.

Another user on X, who appears to be pro-Palestinian based on his past posts, shared the same video on the same day with the following caption: “Israel getting what it deserves. Reuters has confirmed this attack by Iran on Central Israel. I am just waiting for Grok to deny it and I will share the proof.”

The post gained 1m views.

Journalist Nadir Baloch also shared the same video and former human rights minister Shireen Mazari re-posted it from him.

The same video with similar captions was also shared by several other accounts on X and Instagram as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

A reverse image search yielded a Reddit post dated October 16, 2023, titled: “A building in Gaza is demolished by the IDF in an airstrike.”

The same video was also found on TikTok, uploaded on October 12, 2023, indicating that the video predates the current Iran-Israel tensions.

Additionally, the video appeared in reporting by NBC News on October 8, 2023, titled: “Netanyahu says Israel ‘at war’ after Hamas launches surprise attack.”

The video report described how Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, after which Israel carried out airstrikes across Gaza.

The video in the viral clip matches visuals from this period, showing an Israeli strike on a building in Gaza during the October 2023 Israel-Palestine conflict.

Therefore, the claim that a viral video shows Iranian missiles striking Israel amid the current conflict is false. The video is old from the October 2023 conflict between Israel and Hamas, showing airstrike on a building in Gaza.

Viral video of Iranian missiles attacking Tel Aviv — MISLEADING

On March 5, a pro-military account shared a video on X allegedly showing missiles striking Tel Aviv.

The caption read: “Iran missile attacks on Israel today!! Iran has launched more than 10 missiles today, with three impacts reported, targeting the Ministry of Defence in Israel and Israeli Defence Forces camps. Netanyahu ordered censorship of broadcasting, so fewer videos are available.”

The post gained more than 30,000 views.

The same video was later shared by another X account with the following caption: “Iran just launched roughly 20 ballistic missiles toward Israel, with reports that at least two impacts occurred in Tel Aviv.”

This post gained over 1m views.

Other foreign users on X also shared the same clip with a similar context, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here, collectively gaining more than 1m views.

A reverse image search yielded a YouTube video uploaded by UK-based news outlet Times News on June 16, 2025, titled: “Moment Iranian missiles hit Tel Aviv’s city centre.”

The first 30 seconds of the YouTube video match the viral clip circulating on social media.

According to the video description, Israel said that eight people were killed in overnight attacks by Iran and nearly 300 others were injured, with at least one person reported to be in serious condition.

A Portugal-based digital media outlet also reported on the same incident on June 16, 2025, with the following headline: “Iranian attack on Israel in the early hours of the morning leaves eight dead.”

Therefore, the claim that a viral video shows Iranian missiles attacking Tel Aviv amid the current conflict between the two countries is misleading. The footage is old and dates back to June 2025 when Iran attacked Israel.

Viral video of ex-Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad making public appearance amid death rumours — MISLEADING

On March 4, a pro-Iranian account shared a video allegedly showing former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad meeting people after rumours of his death.

The caption read: “Just in: Ahmadinejad is alive and well. Thank God. The president that Iran needs right now.”

The post gained 482,000 views.

Journalist Zahid Gishkori, also shared the same clip with the following caption: “Ex Iranian president Ahmedinejad gives public appearance after Iranian media reported he’s pretty much alive refuting previous news of international outlets that he was also among those bombed by USA and Israeli forces.”

The post was viewed by more than 176,994 people.

The same claim was also shared on Facebook and YouTube; collectively gaining more than 30,000 views.

The same claim was also circulated by several other users on X, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here; gaining 202,000 views.

A reverse image search yielded an Instagram video dated February 15, 2026. The caption of the post read, “Dr Ahmadinejad’s presence at the Savadkooh Dairy Farm in Mazandaran province on January 18, 1404, at the funeral and burial ceremony of the beloved mother of Dr Seyyed Hassan Mousavi, the chief of staff of the president in the 10th government, and the people of Savadkooh expressing their love for Dr Ahmadinejad”.

In the video, Ahmadinejad appears to attend the funeral of former chief of staff Hasan Mousavi’s mother.

Therefore, the claim that a viral video shows ex-Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad making a public appearance amid rumours of his death is misleading. The footage is old from February 2026, and is unrelated to the current speculation.

Viral video of Mojtaba Ali Khamenei announcing his succession is AI-generated — FALSE

On March 5, a pro-Iranian account shared a video on X with the following caption: “Just In: Mojtaba Ali Khamenei, son of Sayyid Ali Khamenei, says: ‘In the name of Allah, greetings to the brave people of Iran who stay strong in hard times. As we take on this leadership, we promise to follow the path of our martyrs, working for honor, freedom, and dignity.’”

The post gained 2.3m views.

An account on Instagram also shared the same video with the caption: “Mojtaba Ali Khamenei, son of Sayyid Ali Khamenei, said: ‘In the name of God, greetings to the courageous Iranian people who remain strong in times of difficulty. By assuming this leadership role, we pledge to follow the path of our martyrs, working for honour, freedom and dignity.’”

The same video was shared by other accounts on X, Instagram and Youtube, as can be seen here, here, here and here.

Inspecting the video showed several inconsistencies suggesting it was digitally manipulated.

Throughout the clip, the individual shown as Mojtaba Khamenei displays unnatural facial movements. In the entire 32-second video, the eyes and mouth move in an irregular and distorted manner, which is a common indicator of AI-generated or altered video.

The audio and video also appear out of sync.

Furthermore, a keyword search showed that there has been no official confirmation from Iranian authorities regarding Mojtaba assuming the position of supreme leader.

A report by The New York Times published on March 3, 2026 with the headline: “Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son emerges as leading choice to be his successor” indicated that although Mojtaba was reportedly being considered a successor to his father, but the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for appointing Iran’s supreme leader, was still in the process of deciding on a successor.

These inconsistencies, along with the absence of official confirmation, indicate that the viral video is misleading and likely AI generated.

Therefore, the claim that a viral video shows Mojtaba Ali Khamenei announcing his succession as Iran’s supreme leader is false. The video is AI-generated.

Viral claims of Iranians firing underground missiles — MISLEADING

On March 4, an account posted a video on X, claiming that Iran was launching underground missiles.

The caption read: “Checkmate from Iran. Which is now launching underground missiles, without launch platforms that makes them very difficult to be detected by the United States.”

The post gained over 734,000 views.

Journalist Shakir Mehmood Awan posted the same video with a similar claim here on X.

Local media outler ABN News Pakistan also shared the same video with the same claim.

Several other X users also shared the same video with similar claims, as can be seen here and here.

A reverse image search yielded a YouTube video dated July 30, 2020, from Korean broadcaster Arirang TV titled: “Iran fires first underground ballistic missile on last day of its military drill”.

As per the video report, the clip released by the Iranian military and showed the launch of an underground ballistic missile as part of a drill involving a mock-up American aircraft carrier in the Gulf.

Therefore, the claim that a viral video shows Iran firing underground missles amid its current conflict with the US and Israel is misleading. It is an old video from July 2020, showing a ballistic missle being fired as part of an Iranian military drill.

Viral video allegedly showing Iranians painting jets on the ground — FALSE

On March 4, an account based in Pakistan posted a video on X, claiming that it shows Iranians painting fighter jets on the ground of their bases to “prank” the Americans and the Israelis.

The caption read: “Iran pranked the US and Israel by placing painted jets at their bases instead of real aircraft. Iran had moved its actual jets underground before the war began. Israel and the USA have been bombing paintings, not real jets.”

The post gained 5m views.

Journalist Hamid Mir shared the same video from another account, saying it was “interesting”. His post gained over 149,000 views while the post from the account he reshared gained over 517,000 views.

Several other X users also shared the same video with similar claims, as can be seen here, here and here; collectively gaining over 1m views.

A reverse image search yielded a Reuters video report dated June 19, 2025, and titled: “Israeli forces destroy Iranian F-14 fighter jets. Iran retaliates with missiles, destroying the country’s ironclad air defences”.

As per the video report, the clip was released by the Israeli military and shows its strikes on an Iranian state-run television station and an Iranian air base.

Therefore, the claim that a viral video shows Iranians painting jets on the grounds of their military bases to fool their enemies is false. It is an old video from June 2025, showing Israeli attacks on an Iranian air base and its jets.