Drone

Do videos in a social media post show drones firing weapons in New Jersey in December 2024? No, that's not true: A military spokesperson at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst told Lead Stories that both videos show a "U.S. Marine helicopter conducting nighttime aerial gunnery training." The spokesperson added, "This is normal training conducted monthly." The claim appeared in a post that…

Does a video shared to X in early December 2024 authentically show a drone flying over New Jersey? No, that's not true: The original poster described the video as having been "created digitally." It was shared online after unexplained "possible drones" were reported in New Jersey in late 2024. The claim appeared in a video posted on X on December…

Does a video show former One Direction singer Liam Payne falling to his death in Argentina? No, that's not true: The video is of another person escaping a fire. It was taken in Mexico in 2023, before Payne's death. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on X on October 17, 2024. The post, which included a series…

Does the closure of airspace in North Carolina for the visits of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris halt the Hurricane Helene rescue missions? No, that's not true: A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson told Lead Stories that pilots involved in "aid and assistance" for hurricane recovery can fly through restricted areas if they plan the flight with air…

Does a video on an Iranian news website show a blaze that broke out in Tel Aviv, Israel, following an Iranian drone strike in October 2024? No, that's not true: The same footage appeared in June 2022 on a YouTube channel belonging to news outlet Al-Jazeera. The description from 2022 says it shows a fire that broke out at a…

Does a compilation of storm video clips show the effects of Hurricane Helene in Fort Myers, Florida, on September 26, 2024? No, that's not true: This clickbait compilation was published several hours before Hurricane Helene made landfall and shows footage from past storms in several locations along the Eastern Seaboard. None of the identified video clips show Hurricane Helene. One…

Did "leaked reports" say George Soros paid ABC moderators $1 million each to fact check Donald Trump during the September 10, 2024, presidential debate? No, that's not true: The story came from a website whose satire disclaimer reads: "These articles are meant to be humorous and are often entirely made up." No credible evidence of "leaked reports" or such payments…

Does a picture going viral on social media show Israeli swimmers making the phrase "Bring them home now" with their bodies during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics? No, that's not true: The photo was taken in 2023 and posted to social media at that time. Also, it was taken at a pool in Israel, more than 2,600 miles from the…

Does a picture show the Houthis striking the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with a missile in June 2024? No, that's not true: The image used to substantiate the claim was pulled from the video game Arma 3. Additionally, such an attack has not occurred at the time of writing. The claim appeared in a post on X, formerly Twitter, (archived…

Does a video show an Iranian drone used during the country's attack against Israel stuck in power lines in Iraq? No, that's not true: The video, posted online as early as February 2024, predates Iran's April 13, 2024, attack against Israel. The video was most likely taken in Syria. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on X…