Does a viral video document Iranian missiles being made ready for an imminent launch? No, that's not true: It's an AI-generated video. Several visual artifacts call attention to the kinds of inconsistencies and illogical details found in AI images. Also, the missiles shown do not visually match any of the 25 missile systems Iran had as of June, 2025, according to Iran observers.
The video appeared in a June 22, 2025 X.com post (archived here) on the iGazaNews account with the following title:
Getting Ready for Tonight strike 🚀
This is what the post looked like on X at the time this fact check was written:
(Source: X.com screenshot by Lead Stories.)
AI suspected
As is sometimes the case with AI-generated images, there are logic problems in the image, in this case the vehicles are not standardized:
1. Though possible, it is highly unlikely a heavy combat vehicle carrying expensive cargo would be equipped with a pair of flags blocking the view out the front of the truck's cab, as they do the 2nd vehicle.
2. Though the first truck has 12 wheels, the second truck in the convoy, as it approaches the camera position, appears to have 8 wheels and therefore a shorter cargo deck, though it carries the same missile.
3. The missile atop the third truck in the convoy is crooked, pointing slightly to the right instead of straight on.
(Source: X.com screenshots arranged in graphic for comparison by Lead Stories.)
AI Detected:
To corroborate Lead Stories' observations, we uploaded the video to the AI detection system operated by the Media Forensic Lab at University of Buffalo.
One of the video-analyzing tools that does not require videos to include human faces assessed the video is 100% likely to have been created by generative AI (archived here). Another assessed the likelihood at 80%:
(Source: zinc.cse.buffalo.edu screenshot by Lead Stories.)
Missiles don't match Iran's known arsenal:
Although it is possible, because of restrictions on travel by foreign observers, that Iran's arsenal is not perfectly documented, the missiles shown in the AI video do not match the list of 25 missile systems catalogued by Iran Watch (archived here). The non-governmental organization employs a former US Army field artillery officer and military scholar who works with a team that monitors Iran's nuclear and ballistic missiles.
Readers will find other Lead Stories fact checks about Iran here.
