Video shows fire at Iran oil depot after Israeli strike, not blaze at Haifa refinery

Published on June 19, 2025 at 09:13
3 min read
By Chayanit ITTHIPONGMAETEE, AFP Thailand

After Iran launched missiles at Israeli cities in retaliation for strikes on nuclear and military facilities, a video of a massive fire began circulating in posts falsely claiming it shows Israel's Haifa refinery ablaze following an Iranian attack. The footage in fact shows the aftermath of an Israeli strike on an oil depot in northwest Tehran.

"This video confirms Iran’s attack on Israel’s largest energy facility in the city of Haifa," reads part of a Thai-language X post shared on June 16, 2025.

"This refinery is the strategic energy heart of Israel, producing nine million tonnes of fuel per year. Iran’s attack will impact energy supplies for both the Israeli military and civilians."

The attached 22-second video shows a fire burning at a compound as thick black smoke billows into the night sky. An urban area is visible in the background.

Screenshot of the false X post, captured on June 18, 2025

The same footage was shared in similar Thai posts on Facebook and TikTok.

The posts emerged after Tehran responded to Israeli strikes on its nuclear and military facilities on June 13 with a barrage of missiles and drones (archived here and here).

The arch foes have continued to trade fire in their most intense confrontation in history, fuelling fears of a drawn-out conflict that could engulf the Middle East.

The Israeli prime minister's office said on June 16 that at least 24 people have been killed and hundreds wounded since Iran's retaliatory strikes began. Iran said a day earlier that the Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians.

While Israeli officials confirmed an oil refinery in the coastal city of Haifa was struck by an Iranian missile on June 15, the video in fact shows an Iranian oil depot following an Israeli strike (archived here and here).

Shahran oil depot

A reverse image search using keyframes from the falsely shared video led to the same clip posted by an Iranian user on X on June 15 (archived link).

Its Persian-language caption indicates it shows the Shahran oil depot.

Similar footage also appears in a YouTube video published by Forbes, titled: "RAW VIDEO: Shahran Oil Depot In Tehran, Iran, Is Hit By Israeli Strikes" (archived link).

The video is credited to a contributor via Getty Images (archived link).

Its caption on the Getty Images website reads in part: "Fire and smoke rise into the sky after an Israeli attack on the Shahran oil depot on June 15, 2025 in Tehran, Iran."

Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared video (left) and the Getty Images distributed video (right)

Iran’s oil ministry said two depots -- including Shahran -- had been struck (archived link).

An AFP journalist saw a depot at Shahran on fire, and an AFP video shows the blaze (archived link).

Elements of the falsely shared video -- including the large fuel tanks, hilly terrain and nearby urban area -- also match Google Maps imagery of the Shahran depot (archived link).

Screenshot of Google Maps imagery of the Shahran oil depot in northwest Tehran

AFP has debunked several other false claims related to the Iran-Israel conflict.

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