A video showing an Iranian warship on fire near Bandar Abbas on March 4, 2026, following reported United States strikes, is being shared on social media with the false claim that the Indian Navy struck an Iranian warship.
According to reports, Iran’s navy chief Shahram Irani warned that the USS Abraham Lincoln would be targeted if it comes within range of Iranian forces. Speaking to state TV, he said Iran would “avenge the blood of the martyrs of the Dena warship” by launching sea-to-sea missiles, referring to the Iranian frigate sunk by the US on March 4 in the Indian Ocean.
The Claim:
The video is being shared on X with the caption that the Indian Navy carried out a missile strike on an Iranian warship. The video with the caption was posted by the handle @Proudindiannavi, which has been pushing false and pro-Pakistan claims.
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BOOM has previously fact-checked Pakistani handles for sharing digitally altered videos of top Indian defence personnel.
What We Found:
1) Strike linked to US attack on Iranian warship
We ran a reverse image search and found that the viral video dates back to March 4, 2026, with multiple posts stating that it shows an Iranian warship in flames following alleged United States strikes, near the port of Bandar Abbas. The vessel was identified in the posts as the Iranian Navy Shahid Soleimani-class corvette Shahid Sayyad Shirazi.
We also found news reports carrying the same visuals. According to Al Jazeera, an Iranian warship was seen on fire near Bandar Abbas after local media reported it had been attacked, at a time when the United States said it was stepping up strikes on Iran’s navy.
