Viral video of US military soldiers evacuating airbases in the Middle East amid conflict with Iran

RATING JUSTIFICATION

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

To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan conducted a reverse image and a keyword search to identify the original source of the footage.

Multiple Iranian and pro-Palestinian users on social media platform X shared a video on March 9, 2026, claiming that it showed US soldiers evacuating American airbases in the Middle East amid the ongoing war with Iran. However, the clip shows a military training exercise and is unrelated to the ongoing conflict.

Israel and the US launched joint military strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and other top officials. Tehran responded by launching strikes on US bases and other facilities in seven Gulf states and Israel.

As the war entered its 10th day, there has been no letup in attacks by Israel, Iran or the US, with explosions reported in Qom and Tehran, hours after Israeli attacks on oil facilities caused toxic smoke across the Iranian capital. On the other hand, Iran’s Assembly of Experts has named Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader.

HOW IT STARTED

On March 9, a PPP supporter, based on his bio and past posts, shared a video on X of soldiers marching with the following caption: “Breaking: The United States has announced the withdrawal from military bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, and some Gulf countries. The footage clearly shows that Iran has won this war.”

The post gained 776,000 views.

A pro-Iranian user also shared the same video with the same caption, gaining 700,000 views.

Another pro-Iranian account shared the video in a similar context with the caption, “Breaking: The United States has announced the withdrawal from military bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, and several Gulf countries. Footage circulating appears to show signs suggesting that Iran may have already gained the upper hand in the war.”

The post garnered two million views and was liked by 22,000 users.

The clip was shared with the same caption by another Iranian user on X, with the post racking up 1.1m views.

The video was shared by several other users on Instagram and X, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here; collectively accumulating more than 610,000 views.

METHODOLOGY

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and keen public interest in the US-Israel war with Iran.

A reverse image search yielded Facebook and Instagram posts shared by a user on February 14, 2026, before the US-Israel war with Iran commenced. The video shows the same visuals with the following caption: “No retreat. No excuses. Only victory.”

The video was also found to be shared on February 22, 2026, with the following caption: “0530 – Conduct headcount and room inspections. Following accountability, students will proceed to chow. Once the meal is complete and all personnel are present, they will form up and march to the schoolhouse to begin the training day. Standards of discipline, bearing, and marching proficiency will be enforced and refined throughout the movement.”

The post was accompanied by the hashtag “military training”, indicating that it showed US military personnel during a training exercise.

Moreover, a keyword search to check whether any credible mainstream American or international media outlets had reported the withdrawal of US soldiers from the Middle East yielded no results.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim that a viral video shows US military soldiers evacuating airbases in the Middle East during the current conflict with Iran is false.

The video is old and unrelated to Iran’s conflict with the US and Israel.

EVIDENCE AND REFERENCES

February 14, 2026, Facebook video:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=25816984387930277

February 14, 2026, Instagram video:
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DUuOM7SjRsK/

February 22, 2026, Instagram video:
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DVDaAA1DMRO/

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 Israeli soldier hit by Iranian missile strike — FALSE

On March 9, a pro-Iranian user shared a video on X, allegedly showing a soldier getting hit by a missile strike.

The caption of the post read: “Iran surprises the Israeli soldiers after they retrieve the debris following the fall of an Iranian missile, and the surprise comes … watch”

The post gained 6,300,000 views.

Another pro-Iranian account shared the same clip with a similar caption, gaining 6,700 views.

The same clip was also posted by another user, accumulating 14,600,000 views.

The same video was widely circulated by multiple accounts on X, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

Upon visual analysis of the viral video, it can be observed that in the bottom-right section of the frame at 0:23 second mark, a group of individuals can be seen gathered around what appears to be professional filming equipment.

One individual appears to be holding a camera mounted on a stabilising rig while others stand nearby, seemingly coordinating the shot. A platform-like structure and additional equipment can also be seen placed near the group, resembling gear commonly used in film or media production.

The presence of an organised crew and recording equipment at the alleged destruction site is inconsistent with a footage of a missile strike, suggesting that the scene may have been recorded in a controlled setting rather than depicting a real attack.

Moreover, a reverse image search yielded an Instagram post shared on November 23, 2025, before the US-Israel war with Iran commenced. The video shows the same visuals with the following caption: “I don’t know when the war will come, the gods will come and attack the soldiers, bursting into pieces, cutting off their arms and legs”.

The same video was also found on TikTok, uploaded on December 23, 2025, indicating that the video predates the current Iran-Israel tensions.

Therefore, the claim that a viral video shows an Israeli soldier getting blown up by an Iranian missile strike is false. The video is old from November 2025, and is unrelated to the current conflict between the two countries.

Viral video of destruction in Tel Aviv is from 2025 Iran-Israel conflict — MISLEADING

On March 10, a pro-Iranian account on X shared a video showing destruction in Tel Aviv following Iranian attacks. “Tel Aviv is looking bad,” reads the caption of the post, which gained 41,000 views.

Another pro-Iranian account on X shared the same video the same day with the caption: “Tel Aviv is looking bad. The Iron Dome can’t handle the intensity of the Iranian attack. Expect the towel to be thrown in soon.”

The post gained 5,687 views.

The clip was also shared by several other pro-Iranian accounts on X, as seen here, here, and here; amassing over 20,000 views.

A reverse image search of the viral clip found a TikTok video from June 17, 2025, that contained the same visuals as the circulating video. Its caption reads “Israel”.

The team then conducted a keyword search that yielded an Instagram post from the international news outlet CNN, dated June 16, 2026, stating that emergency teams in Tel Aviv were responding to damage caused by an Iranian ballistic missile strike on the city.

The report included footage from the scene showing a large crater and damaged buildings, with nearby residents being evacuated. A comparison of the CNN footage and the viral clip shows the same damaged building visible in both, confirming that the circulating video dates back to the 2025 Iran-Israel conflict.

Therefore, the claim that a viral video shows destruction in Tel Aviv following recent Iranian strikes is misleading. The clip is from the 2025 conflict between the two countries.