Does a video really show footage of the U.S. striking an Iranian fighter jet in "combat action" over the Strait of Hormuz? No, that's not true: The video was posted by a self-described parody account on social media. It also appears the footage shows Russian aircraft and was clipped from a video game. The claim was made in a post…
Does a real video show the moment Iran shot down a U.S. Apache helicopter in the Persian Gulf in early June 2026? No, that's not true: The clip was created using artificial intelligence, and an AI detection tool determined it was 100% "likely to be AI-generated." There are no credible reports that the helicopter was brought down by a shoulder-fired…
Does a real video show Iran's elaborate gold float in the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup? No, that's not true: A content detection tool determined with 99.8% confidence the video is AI-generated. The opening ceremony for the 2026 World Cup did not feature any national floats passing under fireworks as pictured. The Mexico City ceremony had a parade…
Does a video featuring a burning fuel tank rolling away after an explosion show an event in Iran in June 2026? No, that's not true: The footage shows an explosion at a gas station in Chechnya, a republic within the Russian Federation, in October 2024, not Iran. The clip also appeared on a social media account labeled as a parody.…
Did Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit publish an open letter calling on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign amid growing controversy surrounding U.S. immigration policies? No, that's not true: The claim appeared in social media posts and news articles just a day before the start of the World Cup. Gullit posted a denial on his X account, saying he wanted…
Does a video show an Iranian missile strike on Israeli or U.S. assets in early June 2026? No, that's not true: The explosion shown in the video occurred at a fireworks factory in Malta. The powerful blast injured two people at the Ta' Lourdes fireworks factory on June 1, 2026. The claim appeared in a post and video (archived here)…
Did Middle East Eye publish a video report saying that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan agreed to let Ukraine set up drone manufacturing plants in Armenia? No, that's not true: No such report appeared on the media outlet's website. It could not be found on their social media accounts either. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on…
Is a video that shows Joe Rogan saying he is considering refusing to commentate the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight at the White House legitimate? No, that's not true: The video was labeled "Contains AI-generated media." Rogan did criticize the event on his podcast, saying he does not like the idea of fighting outside, but he did not say he…
Has President Donald Trump been out of public view for eight straight days as of early June 2026? No, that's not true: In the eight days preceding June 3, 2026, the president was seen by White House press pool reporters on multiple days. Trump also pre-recorded an interview with the New York Post on June 2, 2026, which was published…
Does a meme accurately show a real "epic moment" exchange between Trump and Obama about Iran nuclear deals? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that such an exchange ever took place on social media or anywhere else. Lead Stories found no credible news coverage documenting the alleged incident. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) by the…
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