Outdated Video Shows Russian, Not Iranian, Missile Misfire
The Claim
An Iranian missile launched towards Israel makes a U-turn and destroys the launcher from which it was launched.
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In the wake of Iran's recent missile strike on Israel, social media users widely shared a video clip purporting to feature an Iranian missile making a U-turn mid-flight and striking the launcher from which it was fired.
In the footage, the missile is seen launching into the sky before suddenly turning mid-air and crashing back into its launch site in a massive explosion.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral footage and found the claim to be misleading.
A thorough reverse image search found the circulating video to be outdated and unrelated to the recent missile strikes launched by Iran toward Israel.
Old Video Shows Russian Missile Misfire
Contrary to social media users' viral claim, the video is unrelated to the recent Iranian missile barrage toward Israel on Tuesday night.
The footage shows a Russian missile misfire from June 2022 in the Ukrainian city of Alchevsk, located in the Luhansk region, which is occupied by pro-Russian separatist forces. The video was uploaded by The Sun on YouTube on June 24, 2022, under the title, "Russian missile fails and 'boomerangs back at Russian troops.'"
In addition, the Daily Mail also reported the incident and uploaded the same video to a published article on June 24, 2022.
Russian Missile Misfire Causes Explosion
The incident occurred in the Ukrainian city of Alchevsk, located in the Luhansk region, which is occupied by pro-Russian separatist forces and lies on the front lines of the war in Ukraine. According to reports, the air defense missile system involved, likely an S-300, was operated by pro-Russian separatists from the breakaway Luhansk People's Republic.
The exact cause of the malfunction remains unclear, though some speculate it may have been the result of hacking or jamming by a Ukrainian drone.
Local media also reported that a fire broke out at the site, which was near residential buildings, but there were no reports of casualties among Russian or separatist forces following the incident.
Iran Launches Missile Barrage at Israel
On Tuesday, Iran launched a two-wave ballistic missile strike in retaliation for the assassinations of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
The attack involved 180 missiles, resulting in no casualties, according to Israeli military reports. Iran stated that the strikes targeted three military bases in the Tel Aviv area.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed swift retaliation, warning that Iran had made a grave mistake and would pay the price.
By Wednesday, Israeli media reported that several air force bases had sustained damage from the missile strikes, though no aircraft were affected.
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This Video is Unrelated to Recent Iranian Missile Attack on Israel
