Multiple accounts, including pro-Iranian users based on their past posts, have been sharing a video across social media platforms since June 10, 2026, allegedly showing Iranian soldiers launching a shoulder-fired rocket at a US military helicopter. However, the clip is AI-generated.
Background of US-Iran Conflict
Over the past week, fighting between the United States and Iran has intensified despite an April 8 ceasefire. The US military said it struck Iranian radar, drone and air-defence sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island after Tehran allegedly shot down a US drone over international waters. Iran, meanwhile, claimed it targeted a US-linked airbase involved in an attack on a communications tower on Sirik Island in Hormozgan Province. On June 11, 2026, the United States launched a second round of airstrikes on Iran after US President Donald Trump warned that Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations, and Iran responded with strikes targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. At sea, tensions have remained high around the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has continued to challenge commercial shipping and the US has maintained pressure through a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
How the Viral Video Spread
On June 10, a pro-Iranian account shared a video on X showing Iranian soldiers launching a shoulder-fired rocket at a US military helicopter, with the caption: “Iran used a weapon worth one hundred and fifty dollars to shoot down a billion-dollar American military aircraft. For the first time, America had met its true adversary.” The post gained 4.9 million views. Another pro-Iranian account shared the same video with the caption: “Iran uses $150 weapons to shoot down US military aircraft worth billions of dollars,” attracting 2.4 million views. A third user posted: “Iran is using weapons worth one hundred fifty dollars to shoot down America’s multi-billion-dollar military aircraft. For the first time, America has met its real daddy,” garnering 2 million views. The same video was shared by other pro-Iranian accounts with similar captions, accumulating 1.2 million, 583,000, and collectively 170,000 views across YouTube, Instagram, and X.
Fact-Checking Process
A fact-check was initiated due to the video's high virality and public interest in the ongoing conflict. The viral video was examined for visual inconsistencies. A frame-by-frame review revealed that several individuals in the video display highly similar facial features and expressions, particularly at the 0:01, 0:02, and 0:14-second marks—a common indicator of AI-generated content. The video was further analyzed using AI detection and forensic tools. Hive Moderation flagged the video as 99.4% AI-generated. TruthScan flagged it with 75% probability, and “Is It AI” flagged it as 97% AI-generated content.
A keyword search was conducted to verify whether any credible American, Iranian, or international media outlets had reported on such a video showing Iranian soldiers launching a shoulder-fired rocket at a US military helicopter. No such report or video was found. However, Reuters published a report on June 9, 2026, titled: “US sea drone rescues crew from US Army helicopter that crashed near Hormuz.” According to the report, a US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter went down near the coast of Oman while conducting patrol operations. The US military stated that the aircraft crashed during a routine mission and that the cause remained under investigation. Two crew members were safely rescued by a US Navy autonomous surface drone and later transferred to a helicopter for evacuation. The Reuters report made no mention of the aircraft being shot down by Iran, nor did it indicate that any low-cost weapon had been used to destroy a US military aircraft. Instead, US officials described the incident as a helicopter crash with an ongoing investigation. Other international media outlets, including Al Jazeera, CNN, and The New York Times, reported similarly.
Fact-Check Status: False
The claim that the viral video shows Iranian soldiers launching a shoulder-fired rocket at a US military helicopter is false. The video is AI-generated. This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan—a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.
