In the aftermath of the 7 May Indian airstrikes on Pakistani territory during the so-called operation Sindoor, several dramatic video clips began circulating on social media, with users claiming they showed recent attacks on Sialkot and Rawalpindi. However, a detailed fact-check has revealed that none of these videos have any connection to Pakistan.
Claim:
A 21-second clip showing an explosion on a bridge was shared by Indian users, claiming it depicted a bridge destroyed in Sialkot during Operation Sindoor.
Fact: The video is not from Pakistan. AFP had previously debunked this footage in 2023, confirming it was from a wildfire in Chile, first posted in February 2024.
Claim:
A 22-second video showing an explosion was widely shared with the claim that it depicted a bombing in Sialkot.
Fact: False claim. The video predates the 7 May incident and has no link to Pakistan. Reverse image search traced it to a March 2024 gas leak explosion in Mumbai, reported by Times of India.
Claim:
A 32-second clip allegedly showing multiple explosions in Rawalpindi after the Indian airstrike.
Fact: Misleading. Reverse image and keyword searches reveal that this video was first uploaded in October 2023, months before the current escalation. It has no relation to the May 7 conflict.
Claim:
Two images are being circulated online, claiming to show Indian airstrikes on Sialkot.
Fact: Completely false. Fact Check verified these images were originally from Israeli airstrikes on Gaza in 2021. One of them appeared in a New York Times report; the other was featured by DW.
Verdict:
The viral videos and images claiming to show Indian airstrikes on Sialkot and Rawalpindi are false and misleading. All materials predate the 7 May incident and are unrelated to the current Pakistan-India tensions.
