#Factcheck-False Claims of Houthi Attack on Israel’s Ashkelon Power Plant
Executive Summary:
A post on X (formerly Twitter) has gained widespread attention, featuring an image inaccurately asserting that Houthi rebels attacked a power plant in Ashkelon, Israel. This misleading content has circulated widely amid escalating geopolitical tensions. However, investigation shows that the footage actually originates from a prior incident in Saudi Arabia. This situation underscores the significant dangers posed by misinformation during conflicts and highlights the importance of verifying sources before sharing information.
Claims:
The viral video claims to show Houthi rebels attacking Israel's Ashkelon power plant as part of recent escalations in the Middle East conflict.
Fact Check:
Upon receiving the viral posts, we conducted a Google Lens search on the keyframes of the video. The search reveals that the video circulating online does not refer to an attack on the Ashkelon power plant in Israel. Instead, it depicts a 2022 drone strike on a Saudi Aramco facility in Abqaiq. There are no credible reports of Houthi rebels targeting Ashkelon, as their activities are largely confined to Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
This incident highlights the risks associated with misinformation during sensitive geopolitical events. Before sharing viral posts, take a brief moment to verify the facts. Misinformation spreads quickly and it’s far better to rely on trusted fact-checking sources.
Conclusion:
The assertion that Houthi rebels targeted the Ashkelon power plant in Israel is incorrect. The viral video in question has been misrepresented and actually shows a 2022 incident in Saudi Arabia. This underscores the importance of being cautious when sharing unverified media. Before sharing viral posts, take a moment to verify the facts. Misinformation spreads quickly, and it is far better to rely on trusted fact-checking sources.
- Claim: The video shows massive fire at Israel's Ashkelon power plant
- Claimed On:Instagram and X (Formerly Known As Twitter)
- Fact Check: False and Misleading
Related Blogs
Executive Summary:
A viral social media message claims that the Indian government is offering a ₹5,000 gift to citizens in celebration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. However, this claim is false. The message is part of a deceptive scam that tricks users into transferring money via UPI, rather than receiving any benefit. Fact-checkers have confirmed that this is a fraud using misleading graphics and fake links to lure people into authorizing payments to scammers.
Claim:
The post circulating widely on platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook states that every Indian citizen is eligible to receive ₹5,000 as a gift from the current Union Government on the Prime Minister’s birthday. The message post includes visuals of PM Modi, BJP party symbols, and UPI app interfaces such as PhonePe or Google Pay, and urges users to click on the BJP Election Symbol [Lotus] or on the provided link to receive the gift directly into their bank account.
Fact Check:
Our research indicates that there is no official announcement or credible article supporting the claim that the government is offering ₹5,000 under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). This claim does not appear on any official government websites or verified scheme listings.
While the message was crafted to appear legitimate, it was in fact misleading. The intent was to deceive users into initiating a UPI payment rather than receiving one, thereby putting them at financial risk.
A screen popped up showing a request to pay ₹686 to an unfamiliar UPI ID. When the ‘Pay ₹686’ button was tapped, the app asked for the UPI PIN—clearly indicating that this would have authorised a payment straight from the user’s bank account to the scammer’s.
We advise the public to verify such claims through official sources before taking any action.
Our research indicated that the claim in the viral post is false and part of a fraudulent UPI money scam.
Clicking the link that went with the viral Facebook post, it took us to a website
https://wh1449479[.]ispot[.]cc/with a somewhat odd domain name of 'ispot.cc', which is certainly not a government-related or commonly known domain name. On the website, we observed images that featured a number of unauthorized visuals, including a Prime Minister Narendra Modi image, a Union Minister and BJP President J.P. Nadda image, the national symbol, the BJP symbol, and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana logo. It looked like they were using these visuals intentionally to convince users that the website was legitimate.
Conclusion:
The assertion that the Indian government is handing out ₹5,000 to all citizens is totally false and should be reported as a scam. The message uses the trust related to government schemes, tricking users into sending money through UPI to criminals. They recommend that individuals do not click on links or respond to any such message about obtaining a government gift prior to verification. If you or a friend has fallen victim to this fraud, they are urged to report it immediately to your bank, and report it through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (https://cybercrime.gov.in) or contact the cyber helpline at 1930. They also recommend always checking messages like this through their official government website first.
- Claim: The Modi Government is distributing ₹5,000 to citizens through UPI apps
- Claimed On: Social Media
- Fact Check: False and Misleading
Executive Summary
A photo allegedly showing injuries to Seema Haider has been widely circulated on social media. Users are claiming that her husband Sachin Meena assaulted her. However, a fact-check by CyberPeace Research Wing has found the claim to be false. The research reveals that the viral image is AI-generated and is being shared with a misleading narrative.
Claim
On X (formerly Twitter), a user shared the image on May 14, 2026, claiming that Sachin Meena assaulted Seema Haider.
Fact Check
A keyword-based search on Google did not return any credible media reports supporting the viral claim.
A closer visual examination of the image raised suspicions of AI generation. The image was first analysed using the AI detection tool Hive Moderation, which indicated a 99% probability that the image is AI-generated.
Further analysis using another AI detection tool, Sightengine, also produced similar results, confirming a 99% likelihood that the image was generated using AI tools.
Conclusion
The viral image is AI-generated and misleading. The claim that Sachin Meena assaulted Seema Haider is false and has no factual basis.
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Introduction
Social media has emerged as a leading source of communication and information; its relevance cannot be ignored during natural disasters since it is relied upon by governments and disaster relief organisations as a tool for disseminating aid and relief-related resources and communications instantly. During disaster times, social media has emerged as a primary source for affected populations to access information on relief resources; community forums offering aid resources and official government channels for government aid have enabled efficient and timely administration of relief initiatives.
However, given the nature of social media, misinformation risks during natural disasters has also emerged as a primary concern that severely hampers aid administration during natural disasters. The disaster-disinformation network offers some sensationalised influential campaigns against communities at their most vulnerable. Victims who seek reliable resources during natural calamities often reach out to inhospitable campaigns and may experience delayed or lack of access to necessary healthcare, significantly impacting their recovery and survival. This delay can lead to worsening medical conditions and an increased death toll among those affected by the disaster. Victims may lack clear information on the appropriate agencies to seek assistance from, causing confusion and delays in receiving help.
Misinformation Threat Landscape during Natural Disaster
During the 2018 floods in Kerala, it was noted that a fake video on water leakage from the Mullaperyar Dam created panic among the citizens and negatively impacted the rescue operations. Similarly, in 2017, reports emerged claiming that Hurricane Irma had caused sharks to be displaced onto a Florida highway. Similar stories, accompanied by the same image, resurfaced following Hurricanes Harvey and Florence. The disaster-affected nation may face international criticism and fail to receive necessary support due to its perceived inability to manage the crisis effectively. This lack of confidence from the global community can further exacerbate the challenges faced by the nation, leaving it more vulnerable and isolated in its time of need.
The spread of misinformation through social media severely hinders the administration of aid and relief operations during natural disasters since it hinders first responders' efforts to counteract and reduce the spread of misinformation, rumours, and false information and declines public trust in government, media, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), who are often the first point of contact for both victims and officials due to their familiarity with the region and the community. In Moldova, it was noted that foreign influence has exploited the ongoing drought to create divisions between the semi-autonomous regions of Transnistria and Gagauzia and the central government in Chisinau. News coverage critical of the government leverages economic and energy insecurities to incite civil unrest in this already unstable region. Additionally, First responders may struggle to locate victims and assist them to safety, complicating rescue operations. The inability to efficiently find and evacuate those in need can result in prolonged exposure to dangerous conditions and a higher risk of injury or death.
Further, international aid from other countries could be impeded, affecting the overall relief effort. Without timely and coordinated support from the global community, the disaster response may be insufficient, leaving many needs unmet. Further, misinformation also impedes military, reducing the effectiveness of rescue and relief operations. Military assistance often plays a crucial role in disaster response, and any delays can hinder efforts to provide immediate and large-scale aid.
Misinformation also creates problems of allocation of relief resources to unaffected areas which resultantly impacts aid processes for regions in actual need. Following the April 2015 earthquake in Nepal, a Facebook post claimed that 300 houses in Dhading needed aid. Shared over 1,000 times, it reached around 350,000 people within 48 hours. The originator aimed to seek help for Ward #4’s villagers via social media. Given the average Facebook user has 350 contacts, the message was widely viewed. However, the need had already been reported on quakemap.org, a crisis-mapping database managed by Kathmandu Living Labs, a week earlier. Helping Hands, a humanitarian group was notified on May 7, and by May 11, Ward #4 received essential food and shelter. The re-sharing and sensationalisation of outdated information could have wasted relief efforts since critical resources would have been redirected to a region that had already been secured.
Policy Recommendations
Perhaps the most important step in combating misinformation during natural disasters is the increasing public education and the rapid, widespread dissemination of early warnings. This was best witnessed in the November 1970 tropical cyclone in southeastern Bangladesh, combined with a high tide, struck southeastern Bangladesh, leaving more than 300,000 people dead and 1.3 million homeless. In May 1985, when a comparable cyclone and storm surge hit the same area, local dissemination of disaster warnings was much improved and the people were better prepared to respond to them. The loss of life, while still high (at about 10,000), the numbers were about 3% of that in 1970. On a similar note, when a devastating cyclone struck the same area of Bangladesh in May 1994, fewer than 1,000 people died. In India, the 1977 cyclone in Andra Pradesh killed 10,000 people, but a similar storm in the same area 13 years later killed only 910. The dramatic difference in mortalities was owed to a new early-warning system connected with radio stations to alert people in low-lying areas.
Additionally, location-based filtering for monitoring social media during disasters is considered as another best practice to curb misinformation. However, agencies should be aware that this method may miss local information from devices without geolocation enabled. A 2012 Georgia Tech study found that less than 1.4 percent of Twitter content is geolocated. Additionally, a study by Humanity Road and Arizona State University on Hurricane Sandy data indicated a significant decline in geolocation data during weather events.
Alternatively, Publish frequent updates to promote transparency and control the message. In emergency management and disaster recovery, digital volunteers—trusted agents who provide online support—can assist overwhelmed on-site personnel by managing the vast volume of social media data. Trained digital volunteers help direct affected individuals to critical resources and disseminate reliable information.
Enhancing the quality of communication requires double-verifying information to eliminate ambiguity and reduce the impact of misinformation, rumors, and false information must also be emphasised. This approach helps prevent alert fatigue and "cry wolf" scenarios by ensuring that only accurate, relevant information is disseminated. Prioritizing ground truth over assumptions and swiftly releasing verified information or acknowledging the situation can bolster an agency's credibility. This credibility allows the agency to collaborate effectively with truth amplifiers. Prebunking and Debunking methods are also effective way to counter misinformation and build cognitive defenses to recognise red flags. Additionally, evaluating the relevance of various social media information is crucial for maintaining clear and effective communication.
References
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-40399-9#:~:text=Moreover%2C%20misinformation%20can%20create%20unnecessary,impacting%20the%20rescue%20operations29.
- https://www.redcross.ca/blog/2023/5/why-misinformation-is-dangerous-especially-during-disasters
- https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/blog/disinformation-during-natural-disasters-emerging-vulnerability
- https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/SMWG_Countering-False-Info-Social-M dia-Disasters-Emergencies_Mar2018-508.pdf
