Photo Features Israeli Airstrike on Gaza, Unrelated to Missile Attack on U.S. Base in Iraq

Misbar investigated the viral photo and found the claim to be misleading.

After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the photo making the rounds to be outdated.

Old Photo Shows an Israeli Airstrike on Gaza, Unrelated to American Base in Iraq

Misbar’s team traced the original photo back to February 2020, confirming it is unrelated to any attack on the American military base near Baghdad International Airport. 

The Guardian featured the original image in an article covering the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and Syria on February 24, 2020. The caption revealed that the photo depicts an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip. Photographer Said Khatib captured the photo for AFP via Getty Images.

The original photo was also featured in The Express Tribune’s article on Israeli airstrikes in Rafah and Syria. The photo’s caption indicated that it was taken in Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli Warplanes Attack Gaza and Syria

Israeli jets launched airstrikes targeting Islamic Jihad positions in the Gaza Strip and Syria, killing two members on February 23 and 24. The attack resulted in injuries to 16 Israelis and 15 Palestinians.

The violence, which continued into Monday, was sparked when an Islamic Jihad member was shot dead by Israeli military near the Gaza-Israel border fence. Tensions further escalated after a graphic video circulated on social media showing an Israeli army bulldozer scooping up the individual's body.

Rockets Target U.S. Bases in Iraq Amid Escalating Tensions

In July 2024, Reuters reported that Iraq asked to withdraw troops from the U.S.-led military coalition starting in September, with plans to formally conclude the coalition's mission by September 2025, according to four Iraqi sources.

Around 2,500 U.S. troops lead the more than 80-member coalition formed in 2014 to counter the Islamic State, with forces stationed at three main bases: one in Baghdad, another in western Anbar province, and a third in the northern Kurdistan region.

On August 5, at least five U.S. personnel were injured in an attack on a military base in Iraq, amid rising tensions in the Middle East following the killing of senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah. Two Katyusha rockets were fired at al Asad airbase in western Iraq, with one Iraqi security source confirming the rockets landed inside the base.

In July, several rockets were launched at bases housing troops from the U.S. coalition in Iraq and Syria. These attacks were more frequent during the early stages of the war on Gaza but had since decreased. U.S. officials confirmed that no injuries or damage occurred as the projectiles landed outside the base.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq Launches Missile Attacks on Israel

Since October 7, Islamic resistance in Iraq has pledged their support for Gaza amid the Israeli war, significantly increasing their missile attacks, according to The Times of Israel. 
 

On September 25, they launched two drones toward the southern Israeli city of Eilat, one of which was intercepted while the other hit the port, causing material damage and lightly injuring two people.

The resistance had earlier launched six explosive-laden drones and cruise missiles toward northern Israel. On Sunday, alert sirens in Eilat were activated again as a drone launched from Iraq was intercepted. The group has intensified their activities as tensions in the region escalate, including Iran firing missiles at Israel and the Israeli military engaging Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. 

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for nearly 170 attacks on Israeli targets over the past year, with more than 70 percent of these occurring in September 2024 alone.

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