Israel

Do filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission prove the United States "owns" Canada? No, that's not true: The filings are standard procedure when a foreign country wants to sell securities in the United States. The Form 18-K is specifically "for Foreign Governments and Political Subdivisions." The United States has filed similar paperwork in the United Kingdom. The claim originated…

Did someone in Alaska capture video in early January 2025 showing military jets flying in formation alongside saucer-shaped UFOs? No, that's not true: The UFO video was originally posted on YouTube in October 2023 and the account it came from features computer-generated imagery sourced from video games and flight simulators. Although this video did not carry a specific disclaimer when…

Did the head of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's medical team say he had been diagnosed with "grade 3" prostate cancer? No, that's not true: The spokesperson for Netanyahu told Lead Stories he underwent surgery to remove his prostate after an infection "stemming from a benign enlargement of his prostate." Using Google News' index, we did not find news articles…

Is a photo that shows Israeli soldiers in front of ruins in Gaza forming a Hanukkah menorah authentic? No, that's not true: This image is fake. The image creator told Lead Stories that he made it "using AI and some Photoshop edits afterward." The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on X on December 25, 2024. A caption…

Does a video show "Turkish commandos" swearing to hunt down "USA/Israel's terrorists" in December 2024? No, that's not true: Lead Stories Turkish-speaking staff confirmed that the uniformed people shown in the footage did not mention the U.S. or Israel. The video was recorded in March 2023 following an earthquake in Hatay, Turkey, and shows personnel chanting what appear to be…

Does a video show Israeli air strikes targeting Houthi infrastructure in Yemen during Hanukkah 2024? No, that's not true: An Israeli journalist, Hananya Naftali, published this video on July 20, 2024, which predated Hanukkah by more than five months. In 2024, Hanukkah began on December 25 and will end on January 2, 2025. The claim appeared in an Instagram video…

Did an authentic image show Bono and Bob Geldof waving Israeli flags? No, that's not true: AI detection tools found that the image was generated using AI technology. The image first appeared on a self-described "fake news" and "satire" account on X. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on X on December 17, 2024. It said: Make songs…

Did The New York Times publish an opinion article titled, "The Glorification of Luigi Mangione Is Inherently Anti-Israeli"? No, that's not true: A representative of The New York Times told Lead Stories that the organization "did not publish" such a headline. An image on social media showing the "Anti-Israeli" headline appeared to be digitally manipulated, as the original headline by…

Does an image on social media authentically show Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a ventilator in a hospital? No, that's not true: The picture shows a person with a differently shaped ear. Lead Stories analysis found other inconsistencies that strongly suggested digital manipulation. The image has been on social media since at least 2023. The picture reappeared in a…

Did Major League Soccer or FIFA publicly announce that LGBTQ+ flags will be prohibited at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup? No, that's not true: The rumor originated from websites with satire labels. As of November 20, 2024, Lead Stories found no confirmation that either of the two sports organizations had issued such a statement. The claim appeared in a…