This Video of Israel Transporting F-16 Fighter Jets Is Outdated
The Claim
A video shows Israelis transporting F-16 jets after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
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Emerging story
In light of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, social media users widely circulated a video clip purporting to show Israel moving F-16 fighter jets away from border regions. This action is purportedly driven by concerns about the aircraft falling into the hands of resistance fighters in Gaza.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the video and found the claim to be misleading.
After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the video making the rounds to be older than claimed.
The Video Shows F-16 Fighter Jets Being Transported in 2022
Contrary to the viral claim, the original video shows two F-16 fighter jets transported by ground transport spotted in southern Israel. The video’s circulation dates back to September 14, 2023.
Another X user, Sprinter, also published the same footage on September 15, under the caption, “Two F-16 fighter jets transported by ground transport were spotted in southern Israel.”
Israeli Airstrikes Hit Gaza After Hamas' Operation
Israel has declared a state of "war" following a significant military operation by Hamas, which cited the desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence as reasons for its actions. Hamas claimed responsibility for firing thousands of rockets into Israel and sending fighters across the border.
According to reports from local media and medical workers, these attacks resulted in the deaths of at least 22 Israelis and left hundreds wounded. Mohammed Deif, a senior Hamas military commander, referred to these rocket attacks as the beginning of "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" and called on Palestinians everywhere to resist Israeli occupation.
This operation took Israel by surprise and followed incidents where thousands of settlers had provocatively toured the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Moreover, there has been a significant increase in Israeli settler violence against Palestinians over the past year, with the United Nations reporting an average of three such incidents per day during the first eight months of 2023.
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