Fact Check: Did Iranian missiles destroy Israel's nuclear power plants?

NEGEV, ISRAEL: Amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East that has led to the death of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and three American soldiers, a video has been circulating on social media platforms claiming to show Iranian missiles destroying Israel’s nuclear power plants. Let us analyze the video and fact-check it.

Claim: Iran bombed Israel's nuclear power plants

The video surfaced on X on Sunday, showing huge explosions at a distance in Israel, followed by thick white smoke.

The post came with a caption stating, “BREAKING: ISRAELI NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS DESTROYED BY IRAN MISSILES.”

“Israel's reactor and nuclear facilities were attacked by Fatah and Khyber missiles.”

“According to reports today, Sunday, March 1, 2026, the Dimona nuclear facility (Negev Nuclear Research Center) has been destroyed as the target of retaliatory attacks.”

“Military and nuclear experts have warned that a direct hit from hypersonic missiles on the facilities could cause a leak of radioactive materials and a widespread environmental disaster in the region.”

The video has garnered one and a half million views, with thousands sharing it, and those commenting under the post appear to believe the claim to be true.

Fact Check: False, video not related to the ongoing conflict

However, the video is from 2017, showing an explosion at an ammunition depot in Kalynivka, Ukraine, and is not related to the recent conflict in the Middle East.

There are no reports by major news media outlets about the destruction of the Dimona facility in Israel by Iran.

A fact check by Grok also confirmed this, stating, “No credible sources confirm destruction of Israel's Dimona nuclear facility or any nuclear power plants by Iranian missiles on March 1, 2026."

"Major outlets (NYT, CNN, AP, Reuters) report ongoing US-Israel strikes on Iran (killing Khamenei) and Iranian retaliatory missiles hitting Israeli civilian areas like Tel Aviv/Bet Shemesh, with ~9 deaths reported there—but zero mentions of nuclear sites hit."

"The attached video shows generic urban explosion footage (not Dimona's desert location) likely recycled from past events. This appears to be unverified/misinfo circulating on social media.”

United States and Israel continue to target key sites in Iran

The video surfaced as the United States and Israel continue to target key sites in Iran amid a major escalation in the region. 

The strikes that are part of a broader offensive that began days earlier have hit Tehran and other strategic locations after months of rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear program and hostile actions.

Iran has since vowed retaliation and launched counterattacks on US and Israeli interests across the Middle East, raising fears of a wider conflict.