Fake satellite imagery and AI war clips reach hundreds of millions
A U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran has triggered a surge of AI-generated war videos, fake satellite imagery, and manipulated visuals across social media, amassing hundreds of millions of views since February 28.
The deluge of fabricated content, produced by state media and opportunistic creators, is polluting the information environment during a consequential regional conflict. BBC Verify reported that the volume of viral AI-generated content may have broken records for a wartime event.
One widely shared AI-generated video showing missiles striking Tel Aviv appeared in over 300 posts and was viewed tens of millions of times. Another fake clip depicting the Burj Khalifa in Dubai engulfed in flames circulated as residents feared attacks.
Iran’s state-affiliated Tehran Times shared a fabricated satellite image claiming damage to a U.S. radar facility in Qatar. Google’s SynthID tool confirmed the image was derived from genuine footage of a U.S. naval base in Bahrain and altered with a Google AI product.
Video game footage from War Thunder was passed off as real combat. Texas Governor Greg Abbott reposted a clip with the caption “Bye bye” before deleting the post after a Community Note flagged it as game footage.
BBC Verify senior journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh said this war might have broken the record for the highest number of AI-generated videos and images that have gone viral during a conflict.
X’s AI chatbot Grok repeatedly failed to identify fake content. The chatbot insisted an AI-generated video of missiles hitting Tel Aviv was real and cited reports from Newsweek and Reuters to support its false confirmation.
On March 4, X head of product Nikita Bier announced that creators posting AI-generated videos of armed conflict without disclosure will be suspended from the Creator Revenue Sharing Program for 90 days. Repeat offenders face permanent removal, and violations will be flagged via Community Notes and metadata from generative AI tools.
Today we are revising our Creator Revenue Sharing policies to maintain authenticity of content on Timeline and prevent manipulation of the program.
During times of war, it is critical that people have access to authentic information on the ground. With today’s AI technologies,…
— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) March 3, 2026
Critics argue X’s engagement-based revenue-sharing model incentivizes sensationalized and misleading content. Expert Mahsa Alimardani warned these fake videos undermine public trust in verified information and complicate documentation of real evidence.