Unrelated clips falsely shared as Israel after Huthi attack
- Published on October 13, 2025 at 06:55
- 5 min read
- By Sammy HEUNG, AFP Hong Kong
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"Breaking news! The Israeli capital's defence headquarters building was attacked, and Huthi armed drones attacked Tel Aviv," reads the simplified Chinese caption of a Douyin video shared on September 3, 2025.
Text superimposed on the video adds: "On the evening of September 2 local time, the famous spokesperson of Yemen's Huthis, Yahya Saree, delivered a speech stating that the Huthis' drone unit launched a large-scale attack on Israel."
The video features various images and clips purporting to show the impact of the Huthi attacks.
Similar visuals were also shared in other Douyin and RedNote posts with text claiming the IDF headquarters had been attacked.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported the Huthis announced multiple attacks on Israel on September 2 but added the claims could not be independently verified (archived link).
Projectile fire from Yemen triggered sirens in Israel, according to the Israel Defense Forces the following day. The statement did not mention any damage (archived link).
The Iran-backed rebels have repeatedly launched missiles and drones towards Israel since the Gaza war erupted, saying the launches are in support of Palestinians in Gaza (archived link).
The war was triggered by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that resulted in the deaths of 1,219 Israelis, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 67,806 people, according to health ministry figures in the Hamas-run territory that the United Nations considers reliable.
Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement in October, brokered by US President Donald Trump, marking a major step toward ending two years of devastating war (archived link).
Some users appear to believe the circulating clips depict damage in Israel caused by a Huthi attack.
"Hope there are people inside," one user said. Another wrote, "Shame there isn't enough gunpowder in those bombs."
Iranian missile attack
But a reverse image search on Google found the falsely shared image of a smoking skyline was taken during Iranian missile attacks in Tel Aviv, with similar visuals shared in an Al Jazeera video posted on YouTube on June 14 (archived link).
Its description reads: "Explosions in Tel Aviv as sirens sound across Israel amid Iranian missile attacks in response to Israeli strikes."
The Israeli strikes in Iran in June killed Iran's top military commanders and scientists linked to its nuclear programme, with Israel saying its aim was to keep the Islamic republic from developing an atomic weapon -- an ambition Tehran has consistently denied (archived link).
The same skyline can be seen in AFP photos taken during the bombardment of Tel Aviv.
The fighting derailed nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, which later joined its ally Israel's campaign with strikes on Tehran's nuclear facilities.
A ceasefire announced on June 24 brought the 12-day war to a close.
Israeli air strike
A separate reverse image search on Google found another of the false clips was previously shared by AFP on YouTube on August 24 (archived link).
"An explosion and plumes of smoke can be seen in Sanaa as Israel carried out air strikes in the Yemeni capital on Sunday," reads its caption.
A Huthi security source told AFP the air strike targeted a municipality building in central Sanaa, adding there were reports of casualties (archived link).
The rebels said their prime minister Ghaleb Nasser Al-Rahawi and other officials had been killed in another Israeli air strike on August 28 (archived link).
Gaza destruction
Another reverse image search of the clip showing a building being struck then collapsing led to the same footage published by Australia's ABC News on October 8, 2023 (archived link).
Its caption reads: "Israeli military target the Palestine tower in Gaza city."
AFP video taken from a different angle shows the same building being flattened by an Israeli air strike (archived link).
Strike on Damascus
A reverse image search of the clip showing a building being blown up led to the same footage posted on Al Jazeera's YouTube channel on July 16 (archived link).
The video is titled, "Israel Launches attacks on Syrian defence ministry and near presidential palace".
Israel bombed Syrian government sites and other targets in July, saying it was seeking to defend the Druze minority after bloody sectarian clashes in southern Syria (archived link).
It began its strikes as Syrian government forces deployed to the heartland of the Druze minority in the southern province of Sweida, following deadly clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes.
Technically at war with Syria for decades, Israel has said it would not accept the presence of forces of the Islamist-led government in the country's south, which borders the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
An AFP photo shows the aftermath of the attack on the Syrian army and defence ministry headquarters.
AFP has also debunked other false claims about purported Huthi strikes.
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