An image claiming to show an Israeli helicopter being shot down in the Al-Khiyam area of southern Lebanon is extensively circulating on social media. As per the posts, the helicopter was allegedly transporting several dead and wounded Israeli soldiers.
A Facebook user shared the image with a caption: Breaking: An Israeli helicopter has just been shot down in the #Al-Khiyam area, southern Lebanon, while transporting several dead and wounded soldiers of the Zionist army.
Check the above post here (Archive)
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile fact-checked the viral claim, and found it to be MISLEADING.
Putting the visual through Reverse Image Search, the NM team found a report by The Times of Israel, dated May 20, 2019, with a title: “Hamas fighters tried to shoot down Israeli military helicopter during recent round of fighting.” According to the report, an Israeli helicopter fired flares after a Hamas cell attempted to down the military helicopter in Gaza during clashes in 2019.
Another report from Arab News, dated March 25, 2019, includes the same image. The report, titled “Gaza under fire: Israeli jets strike Hamas targets after Tel Aviv attack”, confirms that the image shows an Israeli helicopter deploying flares over the Gaza Strip on March 25, 2019.
Thus, it is confirmed that the viral image claiming an Israeli helicopter being shot down in southern Lebanon is misleading.
If you want to fact-check any story, WhatsApp it now on +91 11 7127 9799
