Isfahan, Iran – A recent wave of misinformation on social media falsely claimed to show an explosion in Iran, spreading widely across various platforms. The false image, which circulated on YouTube, Chinese and English-language newspapers, and other social media channels, added to the confusion surrounding recent events in the region.

The photo in question was purported to be related to three explosions near a military airbase in Iran’s Isfahan province on April 19, as reported by Iran’s official Fars news agency. Tensions in the region had escalated following an unprecedented attack by Iran on April 13, prompting warnings of retaliation from Israel.

Further analysis revealed that the image at the center of the misinformation had actually originated from a news report published by The Jerusalem Post newspaper in 2021. The photo was credited to photojournalist Abed Rahim Khatib and was described as an “illustrative image of an airstrike,” without specifying the location.

The misinformation surrounding the photo comes amidst a backdrop of heightened violence in the region, with Israeli airstrikes on suspected Hamas and Islamic Jihad positions in Gaza in response to rocket attacks. The situation had worsened following clashes at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, adding to the complexity of the ongoing conflict.

In light of the misleading information circulating online, efforts have been made to debunk such claims and provide accurate context to the public. This underscores the importance of verifying information before sharing it widely, especially in situations as sensitive and volatile as the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.