An old video from an Israeli attack on a Yemeni port is being shared online with false claims that it shows the destruction of a United States air base in Saudi Arabia by Iran.
BOOM found that the video shows Israel striking Hodeidah port in Yemen in July 2024 in retaliation to the attack by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Tel Aviv.
On February 28, Iran launched an attack on US bases and other targets in several Middle Eastern countries in response to the coordinated military offensive by Israel and the US, contributing to a sharp escalation in regional tensions.
Iran also confirmed the death of the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Israeli and US strikes, and authorities declared a 40-day mourning period for the nation.
The Claim
Several X users shared the video with the caption, "Breaking News Iran destroyed the US airbase in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, Iran did launch missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The attack code named Operation Fateh Khaiber". (sic)
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What We Found: Video Is From Israel’s 2024 Yemen Strikes
1. Video Shows Attack On Hudaydah Port: We broke the video into keyframes and found several posts from July 2024 identifying the fire as an attack on Hodeidah port, Yemen. A related keyword search in Arabic led us to a report by Rassd News Network stating that the footage shows a massive fire following Israeli bombing of Hodeidah port on July 20, 2024.
2. Israeli Military Attacked Houthi Targets: Several international news outlets, including BBC and CNN, reported in July 2024 that Israel carried out airstrikes on the Houthi-controlled Red Sea port of Hodeidah in Yemen. The strikes followed a drone attack launched by the group that hit Tel Aviv.
According to CNN, Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the port that was hit had been used for military purposes, and it served as a route for deadly weapons supplied to the Houthis by Iran.