Video game footage misrepresented as Iranian attack on US warship
- Published on April 6, 2026 at 07:27
- 2 min read
- By Akshita KUMARI, AFP India
Attacks targeting commercial vessels in or near the Strait of Hormuz have put the blockaded passageway on the front line of the Middle East war, but a video circulating on social media claiming to show a US Navy warship struck by Iran in fact shows a video game clip published by a gaming creator. The visuals were taken from a military simulation video game, with computer generated graphics distinct from authentic videos.
"Breaking news. Just got the news that Iran has attacked a US Navy warship off the Strait of Hormuz," reads a Hindi-language Facebook post shared on March 26, 2026.
The clip has been viewed more than 3,400 times and shows multiple projectiles striking a large ship with an American flag, resulting in massive explosions and heavy damage.
Iran has carried out attacks on shipping hundreds of miles from the strait since the United States and Israel began a war on the Islamic republic in February (archived link).
At least 10 oil tankers have been hit, targeted or reported attacks since the start of the conflict, according to data from the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Iraqi authorities, and Iranian authorities (archived link).
The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was also previously cited as saying it struck the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier and one of more than a dozen warships the United States has in the region (archived here and here).
The Pentagon denied Iran’s claims (archived link).
Similar claims spread across X posts and other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Threads.
But the footage shows computer generated graphics from a video game.
Military simulation game
A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the false post led to the original version published on Facebook in March 18, 2026 (archived link).
It was published by a video creator called "Rasel Gaming" and posted the video with the tag "playing War Thunder."
The page has also shared several similar videos and the account description clearly states that all clips highlight a "virtual gaming environment" (archived link).
The creator told AFP on March 30, "This is a gaming video of war thunder which was made by me. I have also mentioned it in my title and game tag."
War Thunder is a free-to-play military-simulation video game available on computers and consoles (archived link).
Some visual anomalies can be observed from the sharp visuals in the clip -- including explosions, water splashes and fires that look too pristine distinct from actual footage.
A US flag appears from nowhere and does not respond to the blast or the waves, while a computer mouse cursor can be seen moving from right to left at the start of the video.
Video game footage is commonly mischaracterised on social media during conflicts.
AFP has debunked other misinformation about the Middle East war.
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