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Fact check: AI images instead of real Beirut airport attack

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The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is also a battle of images — and not everything is real. Like two viral images of an alleged Israeli attack on Beirut airport in Lebanon.

 

What is real in the Middle East conflict and what is not? That’s been a question ever since the escalation of violence since Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Much of what is shared, liked and commented on online is neither authentic nor up to date. And the latest fighting between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel has again seen a flood of misleading, manipulated or fake content on social media networks. Here are two recent examples:

Claim: Two pictures of an alleged attack on the airport in Beirut are currently going viral: “A photo for the history books. A plane from the airline MEA lands at Beirut International Airport while Israel fires on the airport,” writes a user on X, sharing a picture that is supposed to show the airport. Another X user shares a second picture and claims that this was “an airliner full of passengers at Beirut International Airport.”

DW Fact check: Fake

Both images are not real but were generated with the help of artificial intelligence. The picture above is supposed to show an airplane approaching to land. Buildings can be seen in the foreground. One of them has illuminated windows. Some of the frames are straight, some are slightly slanted and arranged in a strangely irregular way — something we often encounter in AI-generated images of buildings. In addition, when zoomed in, a kind of blurred bar appears above parts of the aircraft windows and the nose of the aircraft is noticeably short.

The nose of the aircraft is shorter than on the aircraft types flown by MEA, the paintwork of the tail is different and the windows seem to be missing in the front part. The building also has image errors.
© X

 

We have compared this with images of aircrafts from the airline MEA. According to the company, MEA flies the Airbus models A320 200, A330 200 and A321 NEO. All models have a longer aircraft nose than the one in the AI-generated image. The airline logo on the tail in the image posted on X differs from the actual logo of the airline. There are also anomalies with the aircraft lights. The light shown on top of the fuselage does not comply with international standards. Collision warning lights at the top and bottom of the fuselage are always red, not white as in the picture. This can be seen in the Aviators Guide.

AI detector spots “significant evidence of tampering”

The second picture shows an aircraft on the ground and an airport building in the background. Similar issues can be detected: curved and crooked rows of windows on the building at the back left, landing gear tires on the aircraft that are too far apart, or strangely illuminated doors on the aircraft fuselage. We also checked both images with the AI detection tool from Truemedia.org. In both cases, the software concluded that there was “substantial evidence of manipulation.”

This image also does not show a real attack on Beirut airport. It’s AI-generated, showing an aircraft and a burning building
© X

 

Despite these issues, a reverse image search shows that the images were shared on numerous platforms such as Threads, Reddit, Telegram, Instagram, and X.

In addition, several Arabic, Russian and Turkish media outlets that reported on the alleged attack also used these AI-generated images. Even well-known media such as CNN Turk or MSN Turkish fell for the fakes and published them.

However, the fact that the two images are not real but AI-generated does not mean that there have not been actual attacks by the Israeli armed forces on targets such as Beirut airport. At the beginning of October, for example, images in media reports showed several actual explosions near the airport.

Nicolas Hammerschlag Vicuna contributed to this article

Author: Joscha Weber

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Gunmen k!ll President General of Ogidi community and one other in Anambra.

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Unidentified gunmen, suspected to be cultists, have k!lled a community leader and one other person in Anambra State.

The President-General of Ogidi community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ikwuka Okoye, popularly known as Anumili (pictured above), was k!lled on Friday, Feb. 6.

The attack was alleged to have been carried out by members of a rival cult group in revenge for the de@th of their leader, who was arrested and k!lled by local security operatives.

During the attack, which took place at the School Field, Ogidi, another man whose identity has yet to be ascertained was also gunned down.

The spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a press statement on Saturday.

Ikenga said the incident is allegedly linked to the recent capture and k!lling of a known notorious cultist within the community.

He said, “The Anambra State Police Command regrets the murd£r of the President-General of the Ogidi community and one other person. The incident, which occurred on the evening of February 6, 2026, at the School Field, Ogidi, is allegedly linked to the recent capture and k!lling of a known notorious cultist within the community.

“Following the report, police operatives swiftly took over the scene of the incident and commenced investigations. The command is currently working with eyewitness accounts and other available intelligence to identify and arrest the perpetrators.

“The Anambra State Police Command assures members of the public that all efforts are being intensified to bring those responsible to justice.

“Residents are urged to remain calm and cooperate with the police as investigations continue.

“Further developments will be communicated in due course.”

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Police bust syndicate behind nude photo blackmail in Lagos

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Men of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Lagos, have apprehended three suspects who allegedly run a cyber blackmail and extortion scheme in the state.

According to the spokesperson of the unit, DSP Ovie Ewhubare, the suspects get a hold of their victims explicit photos and then threaten to release them if a ransom is not paid.

He said that the suspects, two males and a female, were apprehended after a petition was filed by a complainant who reported being repeatedly threatened by unknown individuals demanding money.

“The complainant received several phone calls in which the callers threatened to release her nude photographs to the public if she failed to pay them. Acting out of fear and emotional distress, she transferred money to the suspects.

The situation escalated when the suspects demanded an additional N10 million, prompting her to formally petition the police,” he said

The police imagemaker state dthat upon receipt of the complaint, the Commissioner of Police, PSFU, Mr Kayode Ojapinwa, ordered the immediate deployment of operatives to investigate the matter.

“The investigation led to the arrest of the three suspects. Investigations revealed that one of the suspects gained unlawful access to the complainant’s mobile device and fraudulently transferred her nude photographs to his own device. Further findings indicated that he conspired with the other suspects and other accomplices currently at large to demand and receive money from the complainant in several tranches,” he said

According to him, the suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.

The image maker said that investigations were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and to recover all proceeds of the alleged crime.

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Catholic Priest Collapses And D!es In Front Of Congregation While Walking To Tabernacle To Return Holy Communion

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A Catholic priest has tragically passed away after suddenly collapsing in front of the congregation during Sunday mass.

The tragic incident took place last Sunday, February 1 in Wiesmath in the district of Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

Shortly after administering Holy Communion, 59-year-old priest Raimund Beisteiner was about to return the host to the tabernacle when he “suddenly” collapsed, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Vienna.

“Despite immediate professional assistance, he di£d in the church,” the statement said.

The mayor of Wiesmath, Erich Rasner, had also attended the Mass with many other believers and witnessed the dramatic scenes.

The shock in Wiesmath at the loss of the popular priest is great. Beisteiner had shaped the spiritual life of the parish for almost two decades and was highly regarded far beyond the community.

Rasner praised him as an “extremely conscientious, sensitive priest” and also emphasized the personal loss of a friendship that had grown over many years.

A prayer service was organized at short notice for the late priest. It was attended by numerous priests from the deanery as well as Archbishop Josef Grünwidl.

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