Fact Check: Does viral video show Iran shooting down US Apache helicopter in Persian Gulf

WASHINGTON, DC: The peace negotiation between Washington and Tehran suffered a major setback after Donald Trump claimed that Iran had shot down an Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.

US officials have confirmed that both crew members, inside the helicopter, were rescued and remain in stable condition, but authorities have not publicly stated whether hostile fire caused the helicopter to go down.

However, the US says, in retaliation, it carried out a series of strikes on Iranian military and surveillance sites. Air defence systems, ground control stations, and radar sites were targeted near the Strait of Hormuz, the US military Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

Now, nearly a week after the incident and as Trump reportedly moves closer to finalizing a peace agreement with Iran, a viral video has surfaced claiming to capture the moment Iranian forces shot down a US Apache helicopter over the Persian Gulf.

As the video spread across social platforms, many users have questioned its authenticity. So, here is a fact check.

Claim: Video claims to show Iran shooting down a US Apache helicopter

The now viral video, which has been viewed more than 5.1 million times and has garnered around 2.5K views, claims to show what appears to be a US Apache helicopter flying at low altitude over a large body of water, resembling the Persian Gulf.

The clip appears to be filmed from the deck of a military vessel at sea, where several uniformed servicemen can be seen gathered around a shoulder-fired launcher.

As the helicopter appears to come closer, one of the servicemen fires a missile, producing a large plume of smoke that briefly obscures the view.

The projectile streaks toward the target before an explosion erupts in the sky above the water. The object then appears to burst into flames, leaving behind a trail of smoke as debris falls toward the sea.

The footage concludes with personnel on the vessel watching the aftermath of the apparent strike. The camera remains focused on the ocean horizon as the burning object disappears from view.

“Iran used a weapon worth one hundred and fifty dollars to shoot down a billion-dollar American military aircraft. For the first time, America had met its true adversary,” read the post caption

Fact Check: False, the video appears to be AI-generated

The video appears to be AI-generated and does not depict a real Apache helicopter being shot down. The timing of the video's circulation appears to have helped it gain traction, as it emerged shortly after reports of the actual helicopter incident near the Strait of Hormuz.

However, there is no evidence linking the footage to the incident.  

A community note further denied the authenticity of the footage, noting that “the video is AI-generated, with US flags/uniforms, impossible camera angles, and mismatched equipment. A real US AH-64 Apache helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz on June 8-9, 2026, but cost tens of millions, not $1 billion.”

In the video, the alleged members of the Iranian military have American flags on their uniforms, not ones from the Islamic Republic.

The angle of the video also seems suspicious. A person standing directly behind a shoulder-fired rocket launcher, as shown in the video, would be at serious risk of injury.

The weapon's backblast produces superheated gases, flames, and debris that can cause severe burns and other serious injuries.