Fact Check: Is the video claiming to show US fighter jets ready for an airstrike in Iran real?
WASHINGTON, DC: A video has been going viral, claiming to show United States fighter jets lined up on a runway, ready for a massive airstrike in Iran. The video gained traction as the conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate, with Iran shooting down a few American aircraft. Let us analyze the authenticity of the viral video and fact-check the claim.
Claim: Video shows the US fighter jets ready for airstrikes in Iran
The viral video shows dozens of US fighter jets lined up on a runway, ready for takeoff. The X post has garnered more than one and a half million views and thousands of likes as of this writing.
The video was posted on Sunday, April 5, and came with a caption stating, “BREAKING. Iran has been given just 24 hours. After that, the world could witness one of the most devastating airstrikes ever. No more warnings. No more delays. The countdown has begun.”
Fact Check: The video is not related to the ongoing conflict
Although the video is authentic, it is not related to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. A reverse image search for the key frames in the clip traced the video back to a twelve-year-old video on YouTube.
The video posted in 2013 came with a caption stating, “Massive USAF F-16 Elephant Walk At Kunsan Air Base, South Korea.”
A description under the video further states, “F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters demonstrate an 'elephant walk' formation as they taxi down a runway at Kunsan Air Base,” and credits the video to SSgt Michael Schocker of the 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs.
An elephant walk is a term used by the United States Air Force (USAF) for when military aircraft taxi in close formation just before takeoff. This often happens right before a minimum interval takeoff.
A fact-check by Grok states, “This doesn't appear to be a new, confirmed 24-hour ultimatum. It's circulating as hype around President Trump's recent threats to strike Iranian infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz isn't reopened by Tuesday, 8 PM ET (about 36 hours from now)."
"The image shows jets on a runway, but it's stock/military footage, not tied to an imminent new wave.”
Strikes against Iran are ongoing, according to the US
The US Central Command said strikes against Iran are ongoing as part of a broader campaign to weaken the regime’s ability to project power beyond its borders, even as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict appear to be gaining traction.
The update came after two American service members were successfully rescued following separate search-and-rescue missions, days after their fighter jet was shot down during a combat operation.
